Family attempts to send man in parcel to protest high bus fares

A family allegedly attempted to send an elderly man in a “parcel” through a courier service in protest against high bus fares ahead of Ugadi and Eid-ul-Fitr, police said on Wednesday.

The incident occurred in the Vyalikaval area of central Bengaluru on Tuesday evening, they said.

Following the incident, Bengaluru City Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh said that action will be taken against the family for staging the act as part of a protest reel. The footage of the incident that went viral drew criticism, the officer told reporters. “A case will be registered against the family. Such incidents send a bad message on social media. So, we will take action,” he said. According to police, the family of five members approached a private courier centre claiming they wanted to parcel the man as a symbolic message to the public over rising fares in both private and Government buses. They claimed it was part of a prank meant to highlight the difficulties of the festival travel. Startled by the request, the courier staff alerted the police.

During the inquiry, the elderly man's daughter said the act was staged as a protest and to create a social media reel. As part of the stunt, the family had placed the elderly man inside a gunny sack, a senior police officer said.

Police said the situation turned serious when the man experienced breathing difficulties inside the sack. Subsequently, the family apologised to the police and the public for their actions. The officials warned that the act could have endangered the man's life and attracted serious legal consequences.