Bloody hype at a wedding: 2 people died at a TikTok star's wedding in Pakistan (video)

In the city of Sialkot, Punjab province, Pakistan, a horrific stampede and chaos that occurred on the eve of the wedding of popular TikTok star Anser Mahmood (known online by the nickname Mr Patlo / Mr Pattlo) ended in the deaths of two people and left about 20 others seriously injured.

Public calls on the internet and a ceremony promising valuable prizes eventually spiraled out of control, leading to a mass tragedy. The blogger and organizers have been arrested in connection with the incident.

$200,000, a car, and 50 motorcycles: What attracted the crowd?

The root cause of the incident was the blogger's use of social media to invite people to the wedding ceremony with promises of valuable prizes:

• Promises of sensational gifts: Mr Patlo invited his followers to a pre-wedding event at the "Faraz Sports" stadium, announcing that he would give away a total of 20 million Pakistani rupees (nearly 211,000 US dollars) in cash, a car, 50 motorcycles, and expensive smartphones to those who attended;

• Hope for free food and prizes: Following the sensational announcement, thousands of citizens from across the province began flocking to the stadium area.

Opening of the gates and an uncontrolled crowd: What do witnesses say?

It was impossible to manage the massive wave of people gathered at the stadium:

• Calls and mass pressure: Witnesses stated that after the stadium gates were opened and those gathered were encouraged from the stage to enter, people rushed inside, trampling one another;

• Lack of security: Because security measures were not adequately organized in the area, police and security forces completely lost control;

• Victims and the injured: As a result of the severe stampede, two citizens named Rehan and Adil died at the scene. About 20 others were hospitalized with various degrees of bodily injuries.

Criminal case and the blogger's claim during interrogation

Following the tragedy, law enforcement agencies took strict measures:

• Arrests: Local police initiated a criminal case on charges of organizing an illegal event and causing death through negligence. Blogger Anser Mahmood and the event organizers were taken into custody;

• Attempt to shift blame to the police: During interrogation, the blogger tried to shift the blame onto the police for failing to control security, claiming he was not at the stadium when the incident occurred;

• Official position: Government representatives stated that the blogger had only been granted permission to hold a private ceremony in an indoor venue, and that the mass show and hype at the stadium were completely illegal.

This event once again demonstrated the grave consequences that can arise when safety standards are ignored in the pursuit of building an audience and chasing "hype" on social media.