Indian Man Suffers Severe Fractures After 30-Foot Dam Jump for Instagram Reel
A 32-year-old Indian man suffered severe leg fractures after jumping 30 feet into a shallow dam to film an Instagram reel. Doctors inserted metal rods, and he vowed never to repeat the dangerous stunt.
An attempt to capture a viral video on social media nearly ended in tragedy in India. Pushpendra Kumar Manoria, a 32-year-old resident of Jhansi in the state of Uttar Pradesh, suffered severe fractures in both legs after jumping from a height of about 30 feet (roughly 10 meters) into a dam to film a stunt for an Instagram reel.
The Dangerous Leap Into the Pahuj Dam
According to a report by India Today, the incident occurred on Sunday evening when Pushpendra arrived at the Pahuj Dam area accompanied by his friends. To secure the winning angle for the video, he crossed the safety barrier at a viewpoint and leaped into the water.
In the video that subsequently went viral on social media, the young man is seen climbing over the railing while his friends document the stunt. Seconds before the dramatic dive, one of his friends is heard joking, "May God save your soul"—a remark that turned into a self-fulfilling prophecy moments later.
Rescue and Medical Treatment
"I didn't know the water was shallow," Pushpendra admitted from his hospital bed. He failed to account for the fact that the water at the landing spot was exceptionally shallow, and the powerful impact with the rocky bottom caused severe fractures in both legs.
Suffering from excruciating pain and unable to move his legs, the young man became trapped in the water and struggled to extract himself. Using only his arms, he began moving through the water until he managed to grab an iron bar and pull himself toward the shore, where bystanders and his friends rushed to pull him out.
Police forces summoned to the scene following reports of the accident evacuated Pushpendra to a private hospital, where his family members also arrived. Doctors were forced to operate on one of his legs due to the severity of the injury, inserting two metal rods, and he is scheduled to undergo a second surgery on his other leg.
Speaking from the hospital, the young man acknowledged that he had previously performed various stunts in numerous locations and believed he could handle this jump as well, failing to realize how shallow the water was. Bedridden now, Pushpendra expressed deep remorse and conveyed a clear message to internet users:
«I will never perform such a stunt again.»
