Teens Risk Lives for Social Media Fame

A dangerous trend of youths posting social media reels for rapid popularity has resulted in the terrible deaths of four people, three of them are teens, and two suffered serious injuries in the East Champaran district.

Bike Race for Reels Ends in Tragedy

• On August 25, 18-year-old Anubhav Patel lost control of his speeding bike while racing with his friend Karan in Motihari. The bike hit two bystanders, Ramji Sah and Guddu.
• Anubhav and 50-year-old Ramji Sah died on the spot. Karan and Guddu were left critically injured.
• Witnesses confirmed that the bikers were racing and recording the event for social media.

Another Fatal Race Two Days Later

• On August 27, two 15-year-olds, Rajan alias Mithu, and Ranjit Kumar, lost their lives when their bikes collided with a truck at Baisakhwa Mor. They were also racing to film a reel.
• Anjay, a 13-year-old riding as a passenger, was severely injured and is now in a private hospital in Muzaffarpur.

Social Media Craze Leads to Dangerous Behavior

• Anjay had been posting comedy videos online but wasn't getting much attention. A friend suggested that bike-racing videos might get more views.
• On the day of the accident, Anjay took his grandfather's bike and went racing with two friends for the first time, resulting in a horrific accident that killed Rajan and Ranjit on the spot.

Image Courtesy: Pixabay

Expert Warnings on Social Media Obsession

Dr. Santosh Kumar, professor and director of the Department of Psychiatry at Nalanda Medical College and Hospital, highlighted that young brains frequently seek attention and take risks in pursuit of social media fame. He recommended parents constantly watch their children's activities and prevent them from performing risky actions, especially when using bikes until they mature enough to take the responsibility.