Kozhikode: A series of viral videos showing men travelling on public buses while covering themselves with cardboard boxes has sparked a heated online debate about social media trials, virality, and gendered reactions to protest, just days after a man in Kerala was found dead.

In one widely shared clip, a bus conductor can be seen wearing a cardboard sheet over his upper body while issuing tickets. The message scrawled on the cardboard calls for the creation of a “men’s commission.” The video, reportedly filmed by a female passenger, quickly spread across social media platforms.

Another video shows a man seated on a bus, similarly shielded by a cardboard box, drawing the attention of fellow commuters. While many viewers described the videos as “funny” or “satirical,” others argued they reflect deeper anxieties among men following a recent high-profile incident, highlighting the darker consequences of unchecked online virality.

The videos surfaced shortly after the death of 41-year-old Deepak, a sales manager from Govindapuram, Kerala. Police said Deepak was found dead on Sunday, a day after an 18-second clip accusing him of sexual misconduct on a bus went viral.

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The video, uploaded on 16 January, showed a woman alleging that Deepak had behaved inappropriately during a journey to Payyannur in Kannur district.

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The clip spread rapidly, drawing widespread attention, speculation, and public judgment. Police sources said Deepak had denied the allegations and was preparing to take legal action against what he described as false accusations and online defamation.

The cardboard-box videos have been interpreted by some as a form of protest or social commentary, reflecting fear among men of public shaming and trial by social media.