Retired Soldier Shocks Villagers After Faking Death to See Who Cares
INDIA — A retired soldier shocked his entire village after faking his own death—just to see how many people would attend his funeral. The unusual yet heartfelt act, carried out by 74-year-old Mohan Lal, a former Indian Air Force officer from Konchi village in Bihar, quickly became the talk of the town.
When news spread that Mohan had passed away, the villagers were deeply saddened. Many joined the funeral procession to pay their final respects, walking together toward the cremation site and quietly discussing his sudden “death.” But when they arrived, something unbelievable happened—Mohan suddenly sat up from his bier, revealing that he was very much alive.
The shocked crowd soon learned that Mohan had staged the entire scene to find out how much people cared for him while he was still alive. He explained that after death, people never get to witness who truly loves and respects them, and he wanted to experience that affection firsthand.
To make his “death” believable, Mohan asked his relatives to spread the news and requested his friends to carry his decorated bier through the village. Hundreds of villagers attended what they thought was a real funeral.
After revealing the truth, Mohan smiled and apologized for startling everyone. He later organized a large feast for the community as a gesture of gratitude and reconciliation.
But Mohan’s actions had a deeper purpose beyond curiosity. The mock funeral also marked the inauguration of a new cremation ground he personally built for the village, called Muktidham. For years, villagers struggled to perform cremations during the rainy season due to flooding from a nearby river. Using his savings, Mohan constructed a proper facility equipped with a shed, seating area, cremation platform, and hand pump for water.
As part of the ceremony, Mohan burned a small effigy of himself to symbolize his message—that the new cremation site was ready for use.