‘Dead body inside car?’ ’Hand’ creates panic, detained youth say ’promotion for laptop ad’

The Instagram reel a group of friends in Maharashtra's Mumbai hoped would make them famous instead made headlines for all the wrong reasons. Four youths were detained by the police after they made a reel showing one hand hanging out of a moving MUV's boot to create panic among commuters by making it appear that a dead body was lying inside the car.

The video of the incident — which was shared by a motorist — quickly went viral on social media. The MUV, with a human hand hanging out of its boot, was spotted on the road connecting Vashi and Sanpada railway stations, Times of India reported.

A search operation was launched to nab the influencers involved in the nuisance. Within two hours, the car was found parked outside Haware Fantasia Mall near Sanpada railway station, and the youths were detained.

The four detained have been identified as Minaj Shaikh (25), Shahawar Shaikh (24), and Inzamam Shaikh (25), all residents of Koparkhairane, and Mohammad Shaikh (30), a resident of Mira Road.

"Upon detaining the four youths, they claimed that they had borrowed the MUV from a friend in Sakinaka, Mumbai, to attend a wedding in Navi Mumbai. Thereafter, they made the video reel to promote laptop brands, as one of the accused has a rental store for sales and repairs of laptops in Haware Fantasia Mall. The video reel was made with Minhaj Shaikh driving the MUV and his cousin inside the MUV's boot with his hand hanging out, to create the impression that there was a body inside the MUV boot. Meanwhile, two other accused youths on a bike recorded it by following the MUV. When we checked the video reel made by the youths, it was found that the youth in the MUV's boot comes out and says, ‘I am still alive,’ and that customers can visit his store for buying branded laptops, thus promoting his business," ACP (Crime) Ajay Landge was quoted as saying by TOI.

The officer said, "The MUV driver, Minhaj Shaikh, was booked under the Motor Vehicles Act for rash and negligent driving while making the video reel. They were released after a warning and will have to pay the applicable penalty. The youngsters are hereby appealed to not make such video reels that cause panic among citizens and to stay away from digital addiction."