Man breaks both legs jumping into dam from 30 feet for social media reel

A young man's life was put at risk in Uttar Pradesh's Jhansi district in pursuit of a viral social media reel. He jumped into a dam from a height of about 30 feet, hoping the stunt would impress viewers and make the reel go viral, but the attempt badly backfired.

Pushpendra Kumar, a resident of Parwai village under Raksa police station limits, had gone to Pahuj dam with his friends on Sunday. The group was reportedly shooting a reel there. Pushpendra climbed to a viewpoint on the left side of the dam while his friends stood on the other side filming him.

Pushpendra climbed over the dam's safety wall and jumped in from a height of around 30 feet without looking down. His friends, busy filming, had no idea what was about to happen to him. He had assumed there would be enough water below, but the water level in the dam was actually low, and he landed in a spot where the water was shallow. As a result, he hit the ground directly and suffered serious injuries to both legs.

Chaos broke out around the spot after the accident. Many feared he had died after falling into the dam, but Pushpendra survived. His friends and the police helped pull the injured Pushpendra out of the dam.

On receiving information about the incident, officers from Grassland outpost reached the spot and pulled the injured Pushpendra out of the dam. He was then rushed to a private hospital. His family also reached the hospital on learning of the incident.

The incident has once again highlighted the serious consequences of risking one's life for reels and social media virality. It shows that a single misjudged step while attempting a stunt at a dam, river or height, without accurately gauging the situation, can prove fatal. While being taken away in the ambulance, Pushpendra said he would never attempt such a stunt again.