Reel obsession turns tragic! Odisha teen dies ‘after being hit by train while shooting video’

A tragic incident in Puri district has once again highlighted the growing obsession with social media and Instagram reels. A minor boy lost his life after allegedly being hit by a speeding train while filming a video at Janakadeipur railway station on Tuesday.

Also Read: Odisha schoolboys lie on railway track for viral reel, escape death by inches

According to sources, the deceased, a resident of Manglaghat, had accompanied his mother to the Dakshinakali Temple for darshan. The accident occurred while they were returning home.

The boy reportedly stood close to the railway tracks and began recording a short video on his mobile phone when an approaching train suddenly hit him.

Eyewitnesses said the impact of the collision was so severe that he died on the spot. Railway personnel and local residents immediately reached the location after the incident.

On being informed, the Government Railway Police (GRP) later reached the spot, recovered the body, and sent it to a nearby hospital for post-mortem.

Preliminary reports suggest that the accident was caused by the teenager’s carelessness while attempting to shoot a reel, ignoring safety warnings near railway lines.

The incident has triggered concern among parents and authorities about the growing trend of risky social media stunts among youngsters.

Railway officials have once again appealed to the public, especially teenagers, not to endanger their lives for online fame, emphasising that no reel is worth a real-life loss.

No comments were received from the GRP in this regard.