There’s nothing funny about a prank gone wrong

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In a ‘prank' gone horribly wrong, a boy died of internal injuries after one of his distant relatives allegedly inserted an air compressor hose in his rectum for ‘fun' while playing around on the third floor of a food processing unit at an industrial estate. The boy was 16 and the accused is 21. Allegedly there were internal injuries after a sudden burst of air. His stomach swelled, and he fell to the floor after which he was declared dead at a hospital.

This food processing unit makes flours, and the same generates a lot of dust. The workers use a compressor air hose to clean the floor and machines. A case under Section 304-A has been filed which means causing death of any person by doing a rash or negligent act.

The horrific teasing gone wrong, shows us just how dangerous some pranks can be. They can backfire or misfire badly and one has to think about all the consequences before even playing one.

They seem innocuous and fun but will they have the desired effect? From prank phone calls, to deliberate ‘funny' deceptions, there have been horrendous outcomes in certain cases, though this current one is extremely tragic.

So, before planning any kind of elaborate prank plan, you need to think of the many ramifications of what may seem to be a moment of levity.

People usually play pranks in jest to tease the other person, fool them, garner applause or ‘likes' in our cyber age or at times with a darker motive to humiliate the target or simply make him an object of ridicule.

Most of these are done with the thought that no lasting harm will be done, we will have a laugh and be on our way.

Think hard about whether all this is worth a laugh? What if it goes wrong? What if damage is done, even if not physically, psychologically? In the end, introspection and answers may make you do a sensible and well-served rethink.