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Journalism of Courage
A recent video of a YouTuber has added to the concerns about the safety of Indian Railways, neck-deep in controversies due to multiple train derailments and accidents. Shared by @jist.news on Instagram, the video shows the man, identified as Gulzar Sheikh, placing stones of various sizes, and other objects, on railway tracks.
Sheikh, in the video, is seen wearing a mask while positioning a small gas cylinder, dish soap, and a pavement stone on the tracks, waiting for a train to pass by. The situation worsens when he ties a hen to the tracks for a stunt. The video cuts off abruptly, leaving viewers distressed and horrified.
The controversy ignited when X user “TrainWaleBhaiya” posted a video exposing Sheikh’s reckless behavior. The video highlighted the hazards posed to passengers, saying, “This is Mr. Gulzar Sheikh from Lalgopalganj, UP, who puts random things in front of trains for YouTube money, putting the lives of thousands of passengers in danger.” The post triggered urgent calls for action from Indian Railways and local authorities.
Reacting to the video, one user commented, “He should be jailed for this. As soon as possible.” Another Instagram user wrote, “Arrest all such influencers/ you tubers who have lost all the basic sense of living in a country.”
A third user said, “So did he get the views? Who’s watching all this crap first of all??” Another user commented, “@railminindia @ashwini.vaishnaw sir kindly look into this , it’s life threating as can be seen!”
Sheikh was arrested after a complaint by BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla‘s newly formed group, the Legal Hindu Defence, citing multiple violations under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, the Railway Property (Unlawful Possession) Act, 1966, and the IT Act, 2000.
Sheikh’s YouTube channel, “Gulzar Indian Hacker,” features numerous videos where he places objects on railway tracks. Despite disclaimers, the content regularly showcases dangerous behaviour. The channel has over 243 videos, one of which has reached 99 million views. With more than 235,000 subscribers and a total view count exceeding 137 million, Sheikh’s earliest recorded stunt was in January 2024, when he placed earbuds on the tracks.
Subsequent videos show him placing increasingly hazardous items like a 500-gram weight and an axe on the tracks, highlighting his blatant disregard for safety.
