<p>In April, Bengaluru police arrested a man for causing a public nuisance by filming a video of himself having tea in the middle of a busy road. Prashanth, the accused, is out on bail. </p>.<p>According to the police, this isn’t an isolated incident and is a reflection of the growing desperation for instant fame.</p>.<p>C K Baba, superintendent of police (Bengaluru Rural), says people are constantly filming content, often oblivious to whether they are in a private or public space. He cites the example of an accident in February in Doddaballapura, which claimed the lives of three migrant workers. “On their way back from work, they decided to stop and film a video on the railway track. While filming, they did not notice the train approaching,” he shares.</p>.<p>He believes the desperation for going viral on social media has eroded empathy among the common public. “In December 2024, when an accident near Nelamangala claimed six lives from a single family, I saw that most people on the road were busy filming the scene and posting it on social media. There was no empathy for those who had lost their lives. In such situations, if someone filming obstructs emergency services, they can be booked for causing a public nuisance,” he adds.</p>.<p><strong>700+ wheelie cases in 2025</strong></p>.<p>The police say two-wheeler and four-wheeler stunts make up a large portion of the dangerous situations people put themselves in for creating content.</p>.<p>“From sleeping on the bonnets of cars to standing on moving bikes, we’ve seen all kinds of stunts being performed in the pursuit of quick fame. While they don’t seem to care about risking their own lives, there’s also little concern for public safety,” adds Baba. Over the past year, 20 cases related to wheelie stunts and six others concerning public nuisance have been booked in the Bengaluru Rural district.</p>.<p>To curb the trend, the Bengaluru Traffic Police conducted a month-long drive against wheeling offences in March. It led to 324 arrests and 397 vehicle seizures. “So far, in 2025, over 700 wheelie cases have been booked across the city. Many were identified through social media,” says Shiva Prakash Devaraju, deputy commissioner of police (traffic south).</p>.<p class="bodytext">The law and order police have also joined the crackdown. “Our team constantly monitors social media for content that appears to cause a public nuisance or violate the law,” shares <br />Sarah Fathima, deputy commissioner of police (south east). In 2025, most of the offences flagged online have involved two-wheeler stunts, she adds. The offenders are booked under Section 270 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.</p>.<p class="bodytext">According to a police officer, there have only been a handful of cases in East Bengaluru where filming has obstructed traffic, and warnings have been issued when necessary.</p>
<p>In April, Bengaluru police arrested a man for causing a public nuisance by filming a video of himself having tea in the middle of a busy road. Prashanth, the accused, is out on bail. </p>.<p>According to the police, this isn’t an isolated incident and is a reflection of the growing desperation for instant fame.</p>.<p>C K Baba, superintendent of police (Bengaluru Rural), says people are constantly filming content, often oblivious to whether they are in a private or public space. He cites the example of an accident in February in Doddaballapura, which claimed the lives of three migrant workers. “On their way back from work, they decided to stop and film a video on the railway track. While filming, they did not notice the train approaching,” he shares.</p>.<p>He believes the desperation for going viral on social media has eroded empathy among the common public. “In December 2024, when an accident near Nelamangala claimed six lives from a single family, I saw that most people on the road were busy filming the scene and posting it on social media. There was no empathy for those who had lost their lives. In such situations, if someone filming obstructs emergency services, they can be booked for causing a public nuisance,” he adds.</p>.<p><strong>700+ wheelie cases in 2025</strong></p>.<p>The police say two-wheeler and four-wheeler stunts make up a large portion of the dangerous situations people put themselves in for creating content.</p>.<p>“From sleeping on the bonnets of cars to standing on moving bikes, we’ve seen all kinds of stunts being performed in the pursuit of quick fame. While they don’t seem to care about risking their own lives, there’s also little concern for public safety,” adds Baba. Over the past year, 20 cases related to wheelie stunts and six others concerning public nuisance have been booked in the Bengaluru Rural district.</p>.<p>To curb the trend, the Bengaluru Traffic Police conducted a month-long drive against wheeling offences in March. It led to 324 arrests and 397 vehicle seizures. “So far, in 2025, over 700 wheelie cases have been booked across the city. Many were identified through social media,” says Shiva Prakash Devaraju, deputy commissioner of police (traffic south).</p>.<p class="bodytext">The law and order police have also joined the crackdown. “Our team constantly monitors social media for content that appears to cause a public nuisance or violate the law,” shares <br />Sarah Fathima, deputy commissioner of police (south east). In 2025, most of the offences flagged online have involved two-wheeler stunts, she adds. The offenders are booked under Section 270 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.</p>.<p class="bodytext">According to a police officer, there have only been a handful of cases in East Bengaluru where filming has obstructed traffic, and warnings have been issued when necessary.</p>