Teen Falls To Death While Taking Selfie On Edge Of Partially Demolished Building

A 14-year-old boy has died in India after falling from the second floor of a partially demolished building while taking a selfie.

The incident took place in Bhiwandi, Maharashtra, on Monday evening. Police identified the boy as Mohammad Ubaid Sheikh.

The building was declared illegal a few years ago due to unauthorized constriction, according to Bhiwandi-Nizampur City Municipal Corporation. A part of the structure was demolished by the authorities last year, and it has been abandoned since. There are no security guards stationed within its premises, so it is easily accessible to local kids, who frequently use it as a playground, police said, as per the Times of India.

Sheikh reportedly went to play at the building Monday. He proceeded to the second floor of the abandoned structure and stood on its edge to take a selfie. At one point, the teen lost his balance and fell. He sustained severe head injuries, according to the outlet.

"Alert citizens who saw what happened took him to a nearby civic hospital, where doctors declared him dead due to heavy bleeding and serious injuries," a police officer told the Free Press Journal.

Police filed an accidental death report following the incident. They are investigating the case to rule out foul play, Senior Police Inspector S. Raut said.

India has the most number of selfie-related deaths in the world. Half of the 259 fatalities between 2011 and 2017 were lodged in the country, BBC news reported, citing the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

In a bid to caution people about selfie-related accidents in 2019, Mumbai police shared a video of a man standing on the edge of a high-rise building while taking a selfie. The man then fell, presumably to his death, reported the Times of India.

"Attempt for the most daring selfie? Or just another irresponsible adventure? Whatever this was for, it clearly wasn't worth the risk! #SafetyFirst. Let's hope this makes folks sit up and finally pay heed to the danger of selfies," the police force noted in the caption.

It is worth noting, however, that selfie-related accidents have been on the rise not only in India but across the globe, and it has to do with the fact that more and more people are willing to take risks for photos and likes on social media platforms.

Based on a New York Post report, one in every 10 individuals gets hurt while trying to take a selfie. The same report revealed that 41% of the respondents in a survey admitted to risking their safety for a selfie. Meanwhile, more than half of the participants said they would stand on the edge of a cliff for a jaw-dropping shot.