Suraj Kumar has been charged with creating public nuisance
Twenty-two-year-old Suraj Kumar stepped out in a teddy bear's costume Sunday to shoot a social media reel that he hoped would get him 'likes' and followers. He got more than he had bargained for.
Soon after a video of his antics near train tracks in Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur went viral, Suraj was taken into custody by the Railway Protection Force and charged with creating nuisance. The young man, whose social media handle is 'Teddy Godfather', was in the teddy bear's costume when he was picked up and taken to the police station.
According to RPF personnel, Suraj had crossed the unmanned level crossing and was close to the tracks as trains passed by. In the viral video, he is seen making funny gestures at a passenger train.
Suraj's Instagram handle has about 313 followers. It also mentions that he takes bookings to appear at birthday parties and other events.
All the posts on his profile show him in the yellow teddy bear costume, sometimes dancing, picking a fight or just walking listlessly.
Suraj's stunts are an example of how social media influencers' constant hunt for new content is turning out to be a key challenge for law enforcement agencies.
From railway tracks to highways, people obsessed with shooting reels sometimes break rules and also risk their and others' safety.
Recently, a woman identified as Vaishali Chaudhary Khutail stopped her car midway on a Ghaziabad highway to shoot a reel. In the short video, she is seen striking poses as other vehicles pass by.
The post attracted criticism, with many accusing her of putting herself and others at risk by stopping her car on a freeway, all for a social media post. Ghaziabad police responded by slapping a fine of Rs 17,000 on her.