Story:
Meanwhile somewhere in India ..
Police Dance Carrying a Dead Body Amid Coronavirus Pandemic.
Fact Check:
A video is viral on social media alleging to show a group of Indian Police Dance While Carrying a Dead Body Amid COVID-19 Pandemic. Accompanying messages mention the incident happened somewhere in India during the nation-wide lockdown to contain the spread of deadly Coronavirus. Although the video is real, the policemen are not carrying a real dead body and the act is part of awareness for Coronavirus lockdown.
Not Video of Police Dance Carrying a Dead Body
The short video in question appears to show four policemen dancing while carrying a dead body and accompanying them on road are again a group of police officials. Many viewers were surprised as to what is happening in the video and wondered about the ‘funeral dancing’. The police are not carrying any real dead body and the act is to bring awareness among people coming out of homes unnecessarily despite lockdown and traveling on vehicles. The viral video shows Kannada Police performing ‘Coffin Dance’ inspired by a dancing Ghanaian Pallbearers meme, which became popular earlier.
Pallbearers are people who help carry the casket at funerals in a rather joyful way. The video of Dancing Pallbearers from Ghana showed in a light hearted way the deadly consequences of not following stay at home orders during Coronavirus lockdown of nations. It carried an old soundtrack from Russian composer and artist Tony Igy (real name Anton Igumnov) called Astronomia. The video of Pallbearers dancing to the upbeat music became a rage on the internet entertaining people locked at home.
Similar Coffin Dance Memes
On 23rd April 2020, Peru police released a video of their dance carrying a coffin to raise awareness about the deadly Coronavirus and the need to stay at home. Dancing with the Coffin, the police also chanted, “Let’s fight this epidemic together, let’s beat it, let’s go Cajamarca“.
Like in Ghana, funeral dancing ritual happens in some parts of India also. Inspired by Ghana’s dancing pallbearers, Cuddalore police in Tamil Nadu made a similar video to drive home the message of social distancing and stay at home. Then some netizens commented on a satirical note saying ‘Corona Party’ (Karona in Hindi means Do).
After the meme became popular, a group of nurses also came up with a similar video and shared on TikTok. They danced through a hospital while carrying a fake body bag printed with ‘Covid-19’. Some viewers criticized the nurses for the ‘poor taste’ of humor around dead bodies amid global pandemic.
The hospital video is apparently from San Juan of Puerto Rico. It in fact appears like a dark brand of comedy used as a coping mechanism to help people work through tragedy. Talking about it, Twitter user Brian Holan said he served in the military and can appreciate such ‘gallows humor’. He also said the average person sees it differently, suggesting to avoid sharing this kind of humor on social media.
Hoax or Fact:
Mixture of Hoax and Facts.
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