Fidias Panayiotou, a Cypriot YouTuber famous for his comedy videos, has shown how easy it is to sneak into Bengaluru Metro without a ticket. A video Panayiotou shared on Instagram shows him ‘outsmarting’ the public transport system for social media clout. His stunt has garnered a fair amount of criticism, with some slamming the internet personality for stealing from the city.
“I will teach you how to get the metro in India for free,” he says at the beginning of the clip. Panayiotou is then filmed walking up to Indians who are entering the metro station in Bengaluru. “Do you think I will get in for free or no?” he asks them. The commuters reply in the negative.
The Cypriot YouTuber enters the station and walks confidently towards the platform without a ticket. He casually jumps over the ticket counter where commuters are supposed to present their metro cards or tokens, entering the platform.
No security guards seem to be present at the counter to stop him.
After Panayiotou posted the video on Instagram, several people criticised him for the stunt. “Good job! Stealing from the hard-working people of India,” wrote one commenter. “Even though i like you as a person and your content Fidias but this is absolutely wrong and unethical. You shouldn’t really be doing this for content,” said another.
After the stunt went viral, the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) said that surveillance at metro stations has been increased. “We have intensified surveillance AS Shankar, Executive Director (Operations and Maintenance), BMRCL, told Moneycontrol.
Fidias Panayiotou’s biggest claim to fame is meeting Elon Musk. He spent months chasing the billionaire, even pitching a tent outside his SpaceX and Tesla officers at one point. Finally it was revealed in January that Panayiotou had managed to meet Musk after the YouTuber posted a picture with him on his social media.
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
