No-selfie zones in Mumbai
February 26, 2016
Mumbai police have declared selfies off-limits in 16 areas perceived as risky - particularly along the coastline in spots with no railings or barriers. The places include the iconic sea-facing Marine Drive promenade and the popular Girgaum Chowpatty beach, both major tourist attractions. Those who venture into off-limit areas, whether or not they take photos, risk being slapped with a fine of 1,200 rupees, or about $18.
As the pursuit of the most epic selfie can have lethal consequences, authorities are not only introducing no-selfie zones, they're also planning to run an awareness campaign. It follows a series of cases where people took major risks to capture the perfect shot. In January 2014, three students aged 20 to 22 died when they stopped to take a photo with a speeding train approaching, and were hit. They'd been on their way to visit the Taj Mahal. Earlier this month, an 18-year-old college student on a class picnic lost his balance while taking a selfie atop a rock near a dam not far from the central Indian city of Nashik. He fell into the water and drowned, along with a classmate who jumped in to try and save him.
Mumbai police official Dhananjay Kulkarni said last month's death of an 18-year-old woman spurred authorities to conduct a survey to identify dangerous places. The young woman drowned in the sea while taking a photo of herself at Mumbai's Bandra Bandstand, a popular tourist spot.
at / kf (ape, bbc)