An elderly waste collector in a Rajasthan village died by suicide after videos of him went viral on social media, prompting jeers from villagers, the police said.
Pratab Singh used to collect plastic bottles and other waste and sell the trash for a living. He used to collect the items on a handcart, and was a familiar figure in the village, known to everyone as "Babaji".
He was allegedly mocked by some young people of the Lohawat village, who also made his videos and memes and shared them on social media.
"Do you want to buy some waste," Pratab Singh would reportedly ask them when they chased him, filming his videos. But they mocked him and kept posting memes of him, the police said.
A video shared on X shows some men going after him and mocking him as he pushes his handcart.
The more the videos were shared, the more he was recognised by people. Apparently distressed over the viral videos and unwanted fame, Pratab Singh died by suicide.
"His body was found hanging from a tree near the highway. A case has been registered and investigation is on," the police said.
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