Doctors caution against dangerous selfies

New Delhi: When Karishma Lamba leaned over a balcony railing to capture the best of view of a fine memory with friends in Goa, little did she know that a horrific accident was about to cripple her, leaving her confined to a wheelchair.

The balcony railing they were leaning on gave way suddenly, leaving no time for the five friends to recover or gain balance. All five came crashing 20 feet down to the ground. The ground had cobbled concrete interspersed with a wall. Karishma nd one other friend hit the wall and a few others on te way before landing on the floor on their back.

Karishma later realised that she could not feel any sensation below her waist and was later brought to Indian Spinal Injuries Centre (ISIC) in Delhi and after three months of treatment has now managed to regain some movement.

Karishma and her friends are not uncommon  to getting injured while taking selfies. India enjoys the dubious distinction of reporting the highest number of selfie deaths.

As per doctors, there is an increasing trend where patients in the age group of 15 to 35 years are coming with severe spinal cord injuries every year due to a lack of safety measures adhered to.

These are cases where youngsters have been daring in their adventurous spirit and often, have been responsible for the situation themselves.

In cities such as Delhi and Mumbai, certain areas have been cordoned off for enthusiasts clicking selfies or pictures as they pose a safety risk.

 “Selfies have been renamed ‘Killfies” and rightly so. With the growing trend of dangerous selfies it has become all the important to spread awareness of the hazards associated with people risking their lives for the sake of recognition or take pictures that show him/her in a macho or gutsy light,” said Dr. H.S. Chhabra, the director of Spine Service and Medical  ISIC.

“In cases where the infrastructure is weak or a building or structure collapses, it becomes all the more important that one checks out the area before taking any risks,” he added.

Karishma, who was earlier not even able to sit up, has now managed to regain much movement. Though still curtailed to a wheelchair, she has also resumed her job as a marketing executive.