Viral video: Man sells wife’s jewellery to build 'bed cart' but police seize it for traffic violation in West Bengal
Times of India | 6 April 2025
A 27-year-old man, Nawab Sheikh, from Shambhunagar gained viral fame for creating a mobile bed on wheels, but faced police seizure for violating the Motor Vehicles Act MURSHIDABAD: A 27-year-old man from Shambhunagar in Domkal municipality has shot to viral fame for his unique creation — a mobile bed on wheels. But the joy was short-lived, as Domkal police have seized the vehicle for violating Motor Vehicles Act provisions.
Nawab Sheikh, a pool car driver by profession, had designed a fully functional bed cart that could be driven like a regular vehicle. The bizarre yet fascinating contraption featured a 5x7 ft mattress, pillows, bed sheets, and a driver’s seat tucked near the pillow section, equipped with a steering wheel, rear-view mirrors, and even a brake system.
The unusual sight of the ‘bed cart’ cruising between Raninagar and Domkal drew huge crowds, leading to frequent traffic congestion. Videos of the vehicle have racked up over 2.4 crore views on Nawab’s Facebook page and 20 crore views on a Bangladeshi channel.
Nawab said it took him over 1.5 years to complete the project. “I had just one dream — to go viral,” he said. "I spent around Rs 2.15 lakh on the project, purchasing parts like an engine, steering, fuel tank, and the body of a small car from a local workshop. I also hired a carpenter to build the wooden bed structure."
Despite earning only Rs 9,000 a month, Nawab managed to fund the project by selling his wife’s jewellery. The bed cart was completed a week before Eid, and he debuted it on the festival day, ignoring police requests to avoid the busy state highway due to crowd control concerns.
However, his viral moment turned sour when a Bangladeshi media channel uploaded the video just eight hours after Nawab posted it online, leading to copyright complaints and Nawab’s Facebook account being blocked.
His wife, Meher Negar, said, “We were all proud of him. He worked so hard. But after the copyright complaints and video theft, he was heartbroken. I just want the government to help him now.”
Former Domkal municipality councillor and Nawab’s cousin, Ilias Kanchan, praised Nawab’s creativity, saying, “He’s always been an innovator. If supported properly, Nawab’s work could bring recognition not just to Murshidabad, but to the whole country.”
Police said Nawab was unable to provide valid documents or permission from authorities to operate the modified vehicle on public roads. The vehicle has been impounded, and further action will be based on the outcome of the investigation.