DIY Photography

Your one stop shop for everything photo-video

  • News
  • Inspiration
  • Reviews
  • Tutorials
  • DIY
  • Gear
Search

Submit A Story

Half of Selfie-Related Deaths Worldwide Were in India; “No-Selfie Zones” Proclaimed

Jan 22, 2016 by Liron Samuels 2 Comments

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Flipboard
  • WhatsApp

India-Selfies

While India’s population accounts for roughly 17% of the world’s population, about half of the 27 or so selfie-related deaths that occurred in 2015 were in India.

Trying to stop the tragic phenomenon, Mumbai police announced they’ve identified 15 where “selfies can be dangerous” and have announced them as being “no-selfie zones”.

To do so, the city’s municipality will be requested to deploy lifeguards and put up warning signs, and police will be giving warnings.

The decision came after three teenagers were swept into the ocean on Saturday while taking selfies in the rocky area of the Bandra area, The Washington Post reports.

One of the girls, as well as a man who jumped in to save them, most likely did not survive.

“The police will now approach the city’s municipality to prevent accidents at such spots due to people taking selfies. The municipality may deploy life guards and install warning signs,” Mumbai police spokesperson Dhananjay Kulkarni told the BBC.

Violators, however, will not be fined – perhaps due to some of the zones including major tourist attractions, such as the iconic sea-facing Marine Drive promenade and the popular Girgaum Chowpatty beach.

“We will make people aware (of the guidelines) through our Twitter account and our website,” the spokesperson told NDTV. I imagine these guidelines will be somewhat similar to Russia’s “Safe Selfie” guidelines.

This is not the first time India establishes “no-selfie zones”. Certain areas of last year’s Kumbh Mela, a mass Hindu pilgrimage, also banned selfies as organizers feared they would create bottlenecks and lead to stampedes.

Selfies are hugely popular in India, in case it wasn’t obvious by now, and the country’s prime minister Narendra Modi is well known for his fondness for them.

Took selfies with young friends at CNES. We were all trying to take the best selfie out there. pic.twitter.com/xPmKNCgi3G

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 11, 2015

Speaking of the number of selfie-related deaths in India, Rob Long of Ricochet makes a very interesting point:

“it’s saying something, isn’t it, that India, birthplace of two major world religions, both of which posit that the self is merely a vessel to be reincarnated endlessly and that it doesn’t really exist, has become obsessed with the selfie?”

To be fair with India, though, it should be mentioned that not all selfie-related deaths in the country involved locals. One case included a Japanese tourist who fell and died at the famous Taj Mahal.

We already know that selfies claimed more human lives last year than shark attacks, but we now know that in India alone more people died due to selfies than the number of death caused by the global shark population.

If you need further proof that sharks aren’t as evil and sinister as many believe, have a look at Von Wong’s latest project were he tied down a model to photograph her with Fiji’s sharks. You can also sign the petition to help save the sharks.

[via The Washington Post]

FIND THIS INTERESTING? SHARE IT WITH YOUR FRIENDS!

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Flipboard
  • WhatsApp

Related posts:

India proclaims “no-selfie zones” to reduce selfie-related deaths at tourist spots Russia Launches ‘Safety Selfie’ Campaign Following Hundreds of Deaths and Injuries Newly married bride and three family members aged 14-22 killed while trying to take a selfie in India Selfie-related accident kills Japanese tourist at the Taj Mahal

Filed Under: news Tagged With: Fatal Selfies, india, selfies

Liron Samuels: from diyphotography.net

About Liron Samuels

Liron Samuels is a wildlife and commercial photographer based in Israel.

When he isn't waking up at 4am to take photos of nature, he stays awake until 4am taking photos of the night skies or time lapses.

You can see more of his work on his website or follow him on Facebook.

« Bill Gates sells image licensing company Corbis to Visual Group China
Interesting: ‘Bokeh’ Searches On Google Peak Every December »

Submit A Story

Get our FREE Lighting Book

DIYP lighting book cover

* download requires newsletter signup
DIYPhotography

Recent Comments

Free Resources

Advanced lighting book

Recent Posts

  • SmallRig PowerADC brings USB charging to Canon, Sony and Fujifilm batteries
  • Irix announces native E mount versions of its 15mm f/2.4 and 150mm macro lenses
  • SheClicks launches brand new Women in Photography podcast
  • Expert advice for photographers: How to use Google Search Console
  • Upgrade your storage dolutions: Drobo parent company goes into liquidation

Udi Tirosh: from diyphotography.netUdi Tirosh is an entrepreneur, photography inventor, journalist, educator, and writer based in Israel. With over 25 years of experience in the photo-video industry, Udi has built and sold several photography-related brands. Udi has a double degree in mass media communications and computer science.

Alex Baker: from diyphotography.netAlex Baker is a portrait and lifestyle driven photographer based in Valencia, Spain. She works on a range of projects from commercial to fine art and has had work featured in publications such as The Daily Mail, Conde Nast Traveller and El Mundo, and has exhibited work across Europe

David Williams: from diyphotography.netDave Williams is an accomplished travel photographer, writer, and best-selling author from the UK. He is also a photography educator and published Aurora expert. Dave has traveled extensively in recent years, capturing stunning images from around the world in a modified van. His work has been featured in various publications and he has worked with notable brands such as Skoda, EE, Boeing, Huawei, Microsoft, BMW, Conde Nast, Electronic Arts, Discovery, BBC, The Guardian, ESPN, NBC, and many others.

John Aldred: from diyphotography.netJohn Aldred is a photographer with over 20 years of experience in the portrait and commercial worlds. He is based in Scotland and has been an early adopter - and occasional beta tester - of almost every digital imaging technology in that time. As well as his creative visual work, John uses 3D printing, electronics and programming to create his own photography and filmmaking tools and consults for a number of brands across the industry.

Dunja Djudjic: from diyphotography.netDunja Djudjic is a multi-talented artist based in Novi Sad, Serbia. With 15 years of experience as a photographer, she specializes in capturing the beauty of nature, travel, and fine art. In addition to her photography, Dunja also expresses her creativity through writing, embroidery, and jewelry making.

Copyright © DIYPhotography 2006 - 2023 | About | Contact | Advertise | Write for DIYP | Full Disclosure | Privacy Policy