Lure of instant fame on social media has landed two class 12 students in trouble after they were arrested for setting off fireworks from a vehicle right in the middle of a national highway in Ghaziabad. The Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) they were in has also been seized, police said. According to the police, the two students had made a video clip of their daring act and posted it on social media.
In the video, the two boys can be seen setting off fireworks from atop of a parked vehicle. With other vehicles passing by and many pedestrians around, a major accident could have occurred.
The incident occurred on the busy National Highway No 9 that connects Delhi to various cities in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh, including Lucknow, and is frequently used for VVIP movements. The proximity of this highway to Meerut Expressway makes its location quite strategic. That such a dare-devil act could be conducted on such a busy road at night has left the police and the administration worried.
Sharing details about the incident, a police official said: "Police came to know about the incident through a social media post. In the video, two boys can be seen setting off fireworks from the roof of a car. Immediately, the local police station swung into action and arrested both the boys and seized their vehicle."
A section of the youth are often found to indulge in dare-devil acts just to earn some quick publicity on social media, without realising that they are endangering their lives as well as those of the others with their acts. The Ghaziabad duo have once again proved this.
The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) last year found out that about half of the 259 selfie-related deaths and accidents worldwide between 2011 and 2017 occurred in India.
