Snake selfie to river reel: Five social media stunts that ended in tragedy
In India, four people died and one is battling for life after attempting dangerous social media reels to go viral.
When filming for social media ended in accidents/tragedies
CHENNAI: In the social media era, the chase for likes, shares, attention, and viral fame can turn deadly. What starts as a bid for attention sometimes ends in tragedy. Here are five instances where filming a video for social media proved fatal.
1. UP man attempts to kiss snake for social media reel, lands in ICU
A 50-year-old man in Uttar Pradesh, allegedly under the influence of intoxicants, attempted to kiss a snake for a social media reel. Jitendra Kumar, a marginal farmer, was bitten on the tongue and is fighting for his life, according to NDTV.
The incident occurred on June 13 at Haibatpur village in Amroha district. Panic spread in the village after the snake emerged from a wall. Kumar caught the snake and was bitten while trying to kiss it.
His condition worsened rapidly. He was rushed to a local hospital and later shifted to a private facility in Moradabad. Kumar remains critical in the ICU.
* Jitendra Kumar is seen attempting to kiss a snake while filming a social media reel (@Apka_Priyanshu/X)
2. Uttarakhand: Mother drowns in Bhagirathi River while daughter records reel
A 35-year-old woman slipped into the Bhagirathi River, a key source stream of the Ganges, in Uttarkashi, and drowned while attempting to film a reel on April 16 this year.
She was accompanied by her 11-year-old daughter, who was asked to record the video. The child is heard screaming “Mummy” as her mother was seen struggling to get out of the water, in a viral clip. She was then swept away by the strong currents.
Later, a search and rescue operation was launched. However, the woman remains missing.
* A woman was swept away in Bhagirathi River while filming reel; daughter captured the moment (@ivdsai, X)
3. Influencer falls to death while filming reel at Kumbhe waterfall
Aanvi Kamdar, 27, an Instagram influencer, reportedly died after slipping and falling into a 300-foot gorge while filming a reel at Kumbhe Waterfall near Raigad, Maharashtra, on July 16, 2024. Rescue efforts, hampered by heavy rain, took nearly six hours and involved local teams. She succumbed to her injuries later that day at a local hospital, according to media reports.
Known for her love of the monsoon, Kamdar had nearly 2.6 lakh followers under the handle @theglocaljournal. Her bio mentioned that she was a chartered accountant and a former employee of Deloitte.
* Mumbai influencer Aanvi Kamdar died after slipping into a gorge while filming a reel (@theglocaljournal, Instagram)
4. UP youth dies after flagpost collapses during Instagram reel stunt
21-year-old Shivam Kumar, died while recording a stunt for an Instagram reel at Junior High School in Khairada village, Banda district, Uttar Pradesh on April 18, 2024.
To shoot the reel, he climbed the school's roof with two of his friends. He hung upside down from a flagpost on the roof, wishing to raise a flag. But the cemented pole gave way and collapsed, killing him, media reports said.
His Instagram account features several similar stunt videos.
* UP youth dies as flagpole collapses during stunt video shoot (@the_shivam_8810, Instagram)
5. Teen drowns while filming Instagram reel in Ennore
A 19-year-old youth, M Kiranraj, drowned while filming an Instagram reel on a pathway carrying treated hot water from the Ennore Thermal Power Station (ETPS) on March 14, 2024.
Kiranraj and eight friends had initially been shooting videos at the Ennore Kuppam beach. When local fishermen chased them away, the group moved to the slushy pathway, according to The Times of India. After another local warned them, seven of them left the pathway while Kiranraj was found dead in the slush. Cops suspected he got stuck and drowned.
