Dear reader, if you are addicted to snapping out your phone for a selfie every time you set foot in a tourist spot, this one's for you.
No selfies allowed!
India is witnessing a rise in selfie-related deaths at various tourist spots. So much so, that tourism boards across the country are being compelled to mark no-selfie zones. From now on, you will not be allowed to click selfies in some of your most favourite spots.
This move has been made after reports revealed that India is top of the list when it comes to deaths caused by taking selfies. Out of the 256 selfie-related deaths that have taken place in the world over the last few years, more than 50% deaths have occurred in India. Indians have been seriously injured or or have succumbed to death while taking selfies in front of an approaching train, with a bear, and on cliff edges. There's no surprise that our country has been named the 'selfie death capital of the world'.
The rise of social media usage, selfie-filters and the increasing need for online validation are factors promoting selfie-culture. However, selfies alone cannot be blamed for these deaths. Sometimes, it is the utter ignorance of tourists who take extreme risks to get the perfect shot, other times, it is the sheer bad luck of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Mumbai and Goa are the first ones to mark no-selfie zones
To combat the staggering number of deaths, Mumbai and Goa have already marked no-selfie zones. In Mumbai, Girgaum Chowpatty beach, Marine Drive promenade and Bandra Bandstand have been marked as no-selfie-zones. Goa has followed suit and marked 24 no-selfie zones at Baga River, Dona Paula Jetty, Sinquerim Fort as well as beaches such as Anjuna, Vagator, Morjim, and Ashvem, to name a few. South Goa's Agonda, Bogmalo, Palolem, Khola, Cabo De Rama, Galgibaga, Talpona and Rajbagh are a few that have been marked as unsafe.
If you're caught snapping a selfie at these locations, expect to be fined up to Rs 1200!
Let's become more sensible
While no-selfie zones are on the rise to act as deterrents to rising selfie deaths, the onus of behaving responsibly lies upon us. It is important to realise that risking our precious lives for one selfie that everyone will forget soon enough is really not worth it. Along with keeping a check on ourselves, let's also make it a point to correct others who take unsafe steps to get the perfect shot.
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