We inadvertently used a wrong Kiki challenge image in an earlier version of this story. It has now been replaced with the correct one. We apologise for the error.

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Not just a risk for you but your act can put life of others at risk too. Desist from public nuisance or face the mu… https://t.co/HC0LrYltih — Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) 1532582105000

Kiki challenge: ‘Involve peers as they influence adolescents’

CHANDIGARH: The viral social media dance challenge, the “Kiki Challenge,” that involves dancing to rapper Drake’s song “In My Feelings” or a local version of it alongside a moving car has the Punjab cops worried.The craze for posting videos of the challenge on the social media websites is causing concern that this growing trend could wreak havoc on roads of Punjab given the love of young Punjabis for dangerous stunts.What is kiki challenge?Youth from the region have come up with Punjabi versions of “In My Feelings.”The dangerous stunts during the dance challenge have already led to it being banned in Spain, Egypt and the UAE. The Mumbai police too recently warned people against taking up the challenge, tweeting: “Not just a risk for you but your act can put life of others at risk too. Desist from public nuisance or face the music!” Apart from videos being circulated on WhatsApp groups, local versions of the challenge are being uploaded on sites like Instagram with hashtags, including #punjabikiki, #shiggychallenge, #inmyfeelingschallenge, #inmyfeelings, #bhangra, #bds, #desikiki #kikidoyouloveme #dotheshiggy and #drake. In some videos, youth are seen shaking a leg to Punjabi versions of Drake’s song with an overdose of Dhol beats, gleefully dancing without realising the risk involved.Expressing concern over the growing trend, Patiala-based Dr Damanjit Sandhu, president of the Indian Association of Mental Health Counsellors, said adolescents are vulnerable to such online challenges and there is often a tendency to bet on these dangerous stunts.“Raging hormones during adolescence propels them towards thrill and sensation-seeking activities like midnight car race betting, motocross, off-roading, rain stunts,” she said.In technical terms, Sandhu added, there are two manifestations of adolescent egocentrism. For one, they go by imaginary audience. That is, the adolescent’s tendency to believe that others are preoccupied with his or her appearance and behavior, that he or she often performs as an actor in front of an audience.The second one is the personal fable, that is, the adolescent’s inner belief that he or she is special/ unique, omnipotent, and invulnerable and therefore he or she can take risks, added Sandhu, an associate professor in the Punjabi University’s department of psychology .As an advisory to nip the Kiki Challenge, the association has suggested that the best way to encourage adolescents to make healthy decisions is by involving their peers. Adolescents listen the most to their peers and that’s exactly what we need to harness. Peer group pressure can influence the way young people behave and make choices.The stakeholders in the development of youngsters need to understand that peer training is the most powerful way to deal effectively with the young vulnerable minds, it has said.Data released by the World Health Organization in 2015 revealed that road traffic injuries are the biggest killer of teenagers globally. Over 3,000 adolescents die every day, totaling 1.2 million deaths a year, from largely preventable causes.However, some youngsters have taken up the challenge rather innovatively by posting fun-filled videos of dubbed old Punjabi videos or capturing stray animals leisurely walking parallel to their cars.In kiki challenge, people step out of their cars, and dance to the tunes of singer Drake's track ‘In My Feelings’ from his latest album ‘Scorpion’. Kiki comes from the lyrics of the song: “Kiki, do you love me?” The phenomenon became viral after internet comedian Shiggy posted a video of him dancing on the streets on June 30. Soon, other celebrities too took the challenge and posted their videos of stepping out of their moving cars.