A reel trending on Instagram opens with a group of youngsters filming themselves while riding scooters and singing to the tune of the children’s rhyme Johnny Johnny Yes Papa. Their jaunt ends abruptly with the sound of a crash. A policeman picks up the phone used to record the video and, with a deadpan expression, says: “Aisa kyun karte ho ji? Helmet toh pehna karo ji. Ab hospital jana padega na ji (Why behave like this? You should wear a helmet. Now you’ll have to go to the hospital).” The video closes with a warning against reckless reel-making and a reminder to use helmets.
The Delhi police clip — one of several humorous spin-offs of popular memes and viral videos — is part of the force’s growing effort to employ wit and pop culture to spread awareness among youth. How successful the law enforcement agency has been in reshaping public messaging in the age of social media can be gauged from the response to this particular post. At the time of going to press, it had been liked over 10 lakh times, shared more than three lakh times, and garnered thousands of comments praising its creativity. Or one could consider how the force has increased its online visibility over the past few years.
