Davanagere:  A 23-year-old sent a photo depicting his own death to his parents. Parashuram is a 23-year-old mason and resident of Yellamma Nagar 12th Cross in Davanagere. He created the false image to fake his own death in a bid to scare his friends.

The reality of the drama unfolded when the photo of his body lying in pool of blood went viral on social media.

Davanagere had already witnessed 3 murders in last few days and news of a fourth murder increased fear in people. The scared parents went to Extension Police station and filed a complaint on May 18. The police began a search operation for the body. Tracking Parashuram’s phone, police zeroed in on Parashuram who was very much alive.

Upon investigation Parashuram told police that he and his friends had accidentally discovered a smartphone which his friends had been demanding. Parashuram who wanted to keep the phone with himself, was scared that his friends would beat him up. He then decided to create an act of his own murder to scare his friends.

“Parashuram was arrested but was let off with a warning as his parents were poor and had been crying at the police station,” a police official said.