A video from Himachal Pradesh’s snow-covered Lahaul-Spiti region has drawn widespread criticism online after tourists were seen behaving irresponsibly in extreme weather conditions. The footage raised serious concerns about public safety, civic sense and respect for local laws.
Tourists dance on a snowy road
The viral clip shows five to six young men dancing on the road amid heavy snow and freezing temperatures. Their car was parked nearby while loud music played in the background. Some of the men were seen holding bottles of alcohol and hookahs, and at least two appeared shirtless despite the bitter cold. Snow-covered roads and mountains could be seen around them.
Social media users react strongly
The video was shared on X by user Nikhil Saini, who criticized the behavior and wrote, “Now it’s very clear why foreign tourists are avoiding the famous places in India and moving to the quiet side areas. The disrespectful behavior has pushed the locals to the edge and ended the warmth they were once known for. There is no excuse or justification for this.”
As the clip went viral on social media, many users attacked the tourists for causing the harassment. One user wrote: “The state government and police should set some good precedent in the best interest of tourism. Such a display is enough to scare tourists who are actually contributing to the tourism industry in a real sense by staying in good hotels etc.”
Another commented: “Zero civic sense. They are showing their great culture. With this kind of behavior we may require an interstate travel permit in the future.”
A third user added: “Exactly, I have spoken to many foreigners and they are all fine with going to south India, they don’t even want to visit north part of India and not sure why, it could be pollution or this kind of population. We are suffering from civic sense.”
Similar incidents have been reported earlier
This is not an isolated case. Several similar incidents have been reported from Himachal Pradesh during the ongoing holiday season. Recently, tourists were fined in Thalot area of Mandi district for disturbing law and order. In another case, from the Gramphoo area of Lahaul-Spiti, tourists reportedly fled after noticing the police presence.
According to NDTV, Lahaul-Spiti Superintendent of Police Shivani Mehla said the video caught her attention on Thursday. She added that those involved have been identified and fined for their actions.
