Why is selfie called the ‘death game’ in India?

The successive selfie-related deaths prompted the Indian government to roll out measures to prevent the ‘game of death’.
In just the first 3 months of this year, India has recorded 6 deaths while taking selfies.

Even, Indian police officials believe that the number of deaths while taking selfies (selfie) is much higher, but the possibility is up to thousands of people because many cases are not reported and “died by selfie. ”Is not recognized as the official cause of death. Selfie has been called a “death game” in India after a series of deaths. (Image: Reuters) Around the world, the act of taking self-photos has long become a life-threatening activity that is sometimes referred to as “killfie” (a virtual life tantalizing game of death). Worth mentioning, the number of selfie deaths are largely concentrated in India. In recent years, India has been called the “selfie capital of the world”. According to the South China Morning Post Office (SCMP), earlier this month, two teenagers, unfortunately, fell into a pond and drowned while taking a selfie in the northern Indian city of Agra. In March, a video of a young man doing dangerous selfies on a local train in Mumbai sparked outrage in Indian public opinion. In the eastern Indian state of Orissa, a 27-year-old woman drowned in a river from a slip and fall while taking a selfie at the Kaanakund picnic area. Also in Orissa state, a 13-year-old student died of fire from being caught in high voltage wires while taking a selfie on top of a running train. In 2018, researchers from the All-India Institute of Health Sciences found that about half of the 259 selfie deaths around the world between 2011 and 2017 occurred in India. The study is titled “Selfies: A Boon or Bane?” shows that India, Russia, the US and Pakistan are the countries with the most selfie-related deaths. In most “killfie” cases, the victim drowned, was hit by a train or car, or fell from above. Why India has so many people dying of selfies? Experts say that the selfie addiction of Indians stems from cultural and social reasons and the miraculous development of the smartphone technology industry. Specifically, India is currently one of the countries with the highest rate of smartphone usage in the world with the number of users reaching more than 760 million this year, according to consumer data company Statista. Delhi University sociology professor Rita Joshi said that in a classy-minded society like India, selfie is seen as the only way for the middle class to express themselves. “Selfies make people feel the trend when they post photos on social networks and receive many likes (likes). This is also the simplest and easiest way for young people to connect with the outside world especially when they want to imitate trendy Westerners ”, Ms. Rita said. In addition, celebrities and politicians also play an important role in making selfie a trend in India. Typically, the selfies of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi with world leaders or Bollywood stars have received great attention from the people of the country. However, irresponsible selfies or in other words self-endangerment are condemned by the people and activists in India. Professor Ponnurangam Kumaraguru at the Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology in Delhi has launched an application called “Saftie” to coordinate with other researchers to warn people about selfie locations considered “dangerous”. . Even the Indian government has made efforts to prevent the dangers of selfie activities. The Indian Central Railroad shared #SelfieSafety tips to keep its residents safe. The Railroad Guard also announced strong sanctions against individuals who cause trouble taking selfies. The Mumbai and Goa city police have also created selfie-free zones around popular beaches. Indian Railway Minister Piyush Goyal has urged the young people in the 19-30 years old to avoid taking selfies on the railroads or taking on stunts because it is the group most prone to crashes. take a selfie.