A family in Bengaluru caused alarm at a courier office after attempting to send an elderly man to Mangaluru inside a gunny bag, claiming later that the act was meant as a protest against rising travel fares during the festive season.
The incident took place on Tuesday evening at a courier agency near Vinayaka Circle in the Vyalikaval police station limits. According to officials and local reports, the family arrived with a large sack and asked the staff to dispatch it as a parcel to Mangaluru.
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Courier staff shocked as man emerges from sack
When the courier employees asked the group to declare the contents of the parcel, the family opened the sack and an elderly man climbed out. The staff refused the request, explaining that a human being could not be shipped as a courier item.
According to witnesses, the family insisted that the parcel be accepted and even questioned the purpose of the business when the staff declined. Reports said the elderly man appeared distressed and was struggling to breathe after being inside the sack. Employees offered him water and helped him recover while trying to understand the situation.
As the argument escalated and bystanders gathered, the family left the office before the police arrived.
Incident staged for social media reel
After being alerted, the Bengaluru Police reviewed CCTV footage from the courier office and nearby establishments and traced the group. During questioning at the Vyalikaval Police Station, a woman from the family told officers that the incident had been staged for a social media reel.
Alleged ‘Human Parcel’ Protest Stunt Triggers Panic in Bengaluru; Family Warned After Elderly Man Struggled to Breathe
— Yasir Mushtaq (@path2shah) March 17, 2026
Bengaluru
An alleged attempt to make a protest "go viral" nearly turned tragic in central #Bengaluru’s Vyalikaval area.
A family sparked a major security… pic.twitter.com/O3KICSCQdG
She said the video was meant to highlight rising bus ticket prices during the Ugadi and Ramzan season, which had prevented her father from travelling to Mangaluru.
According to police, the family consisted of a woman, her husband, her mother-in-law, her brother-in-law and the elderly man, who was identified as the woman’s father. Officials said no formal complaint was filed.
