A Bengaluru family’s stunt to go viral by packing an elderly man in a sack as a “human parcel” to protest bus seat shortages during the festive season backfired, sparking panic and going viral for all the wrong reasons
The family was taken to the police station, where they issued a public apology for the incident. PIC/Screengrab
In a bizarre bid to go viral, a family in Bengaluru packed an elderly man inside a gunny sack and tried to send him as a “human parcel” — triggering panic at a courier service centre in the city’s Vyalikaval area on Wednesday.
The video of the episode has since gone viral on social media — just as the family intended, but for the wrong reasons — with the stunt now set to land them in legal trouble.
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The alleged act, meant to highlight the difficulty in securing bus seats and rising fares during the festive season, quickly spiralled into a serious situation.
According to police, the incident occurred at a courier office where a group of family members arrived carrying a large gunny sack and presented it as a parcel. When the package was opened, the staff were shocked to find an elderly man inside, visibly distressed and struggling to breathe.
Alarmed by the situation, the courier staff immediately alerted the Vyalikaval police, who rushed to the spot and found a scene of confusion and concern.
Preliminary inquiry revealed that the act was allegedly a pre-planned stunt intended to create a social media reel highlighting the difficulty of securing bus tickets during the upcoming Ugadi and Eid festivals.
Elderly man found gasping in sack as ‘human parcel’ stunt backfires; family apologises
The family reportedly tried to symbolically convey that “couriering a person” was the only option left due to sold-out bus seats.
The elderly man placed inside the sack was later identified as the father of one of the women involved in the act. Police said the group comprised the woman, her husband, her mother-in-law, and her brother-in-law.
Officers stated that the situation could have turned serious, as the man was found gasping for air when the sack was opened, raising concerns about possible suffocation.
As the prank took a serious turn, the family tendered an apology for the stunt. They were taken to the Vyalikaval Police Station, where they issued a public apology for the incident. In a recorded video statement, they admitted that the act was irresponsible and dangerous, and said it was intended as a satirical protest.
They clarified that their intention was not to commit any offence, but to highlight the difficulties faced by travellers due to high fares and limited bus connectivity during festival periods. The family said they had underestimated the seriousness of their actions and sought forgiveness from the public and the police, assuring that such a mistake would not be repeated.
However, commenting on the development, Bengaluru Police Commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh said the police would register a case in connection with the incident.
“There is no treatment for such craziness. However, we will register a case as such actions send a wrong message on social media. We will also seek more details from the Deputy Commissioner of Police regarding the motive behind the act,” he said.
(With IANS inputs)
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