Story By: Anastasia Smirnova, Sub-Editor:  Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News

This is the moment a prankster in a face mask falls to the ground on a packed tube and pretends to have a ‘coronavirus attack’ in full view of stunned passengers who empty the carriage at the next stop.

The incident took on the Moscow Metro in the western Russian capital Moscow between the Polezhaevskays and Ulitsa 1905 Goda stations, and the culprit and his accomplices have been arrested.

According to local media, the prankster in the footage, identified as Karomatullo Dzhaborov, pretended to have a ‘coronavirus attack’ on the busy tube to scare other passengers.

Smartphone footage filmed by accomplices show a masked Dzhaborov pretending to have the seizure after falling on the floor.

As some passengers try to help him, suddenly one of Dzhaborov’s friends screams “coronavirus”.

Within seconds, the carriage quickly empties at the next stop.

According to local media, the police have charged Dzhaborov and his friends with hooliganism for the stunt.

Reports said that his friends looked ‘Asian’ and were wearing face masks.

Dzhaborov’s lawyer Aleksey Popov claimed that his client’s prank was simply to raise awareness of the coronavirus situation.

He said: “He has a bunch of videos on different topics that are important for our society. His goal was to turn people’s attention to the fact that people need to wear masks and protect themselves from a dangerous virus.”

If convicted, Dzhaborov and his friends could face a prison term of up to five years or a fine between 300,000 and 500,000 RUB (3,650 and 6,080 GBP).

Netizen ‘Vadim Bykov’ said: “He is an idiot, and that’s a fact.”

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