Bengaluru, March 18 A family is alleged to have attempted to send an elderly man in a "parcel" through a courier service as a protest against high bus fares ahead of Ugadi and Eid-ul-Fitr, police said on Wednesday.
The incident occurred in the Vyalikaval area of central Bengaluru on Tuesday evening, they said.
According to police, the family approached a private courier center, claiming they wanted to send the man as a symbolic message to the public regarding the rising fares in both private and government buses.
The courier staff, startled by the request, alerted the police.
During the inquiry, the elderly man's daughter said that the act was staged as a protest and to create a social media reel. As part of the stunt, the family had placed the elderly man inside a gunny sack, a senior police officer said.
Police said the situation turned serious when the man experienced breathing difficulties inside the sack. Subsequently, the family apologized to the police and the public for their actions.
The officials warned that the act could have endangered the man's life and attracted serious legal consequences.
"No legal action was taken against them. However, the family was let off with a warning after issuing a video apology and were strictly cautioned against such dangerous stunts in the future," the officer added.