Delhi man’s ‘overpriced Limca’ rant backfires as internet defends hill shopkeepers
A Delhi man tried to turn public opinion against shopkeepers in a mountain town for overcharging him for a bottle of Limca — only for his video to backfire
A Delhi-based content creator tried to turn public opinion against shopkeepers in a mountain town for overcharging him for a bottle of Limca — only for his Instagram video to backfire. Content creator Ravi shared an Instagram video where he filmed a pair of women shopkeepers minding what appears to be a small kirana store in a hill station.

Although he did not specify the location, his later Instagram posts show him vacationing in Manali.
What the video showed
The Delhi-based creator slammed the shopkeepers for charging ₹50 for a bottle of Limca that retails for ₹35 in the plains. “Bhaiji ye hume loot rahe hain (They are looting us),” he was heard saying in the video.
In the same video, he was heard asking the shopkeepers how much the Limca costs. “ ₹50,” replied one of them — a young girl dressed in a pink pullover.
After hearing the price, Ravi pointed out that the same bottle is sold for ₹35 or 40 in Delhi.
At this, the other shopkeeper — an older woman — pointed out that the Limca costs more due to higher transportation costs in the mountains.
“Par aap galat kar rahe ho ye,” Ravi retorted, refusing to buy this argument. He also highlighted how he has 7 lakh social media followers and would make this video famous.
The women were heard asking him to stop filming, which he refused to do. They also objected to his choice of the word “loot”, pointing out that paying ₹10-15 extra would not bankrupt him.
How the video backfired
If the content creator’s wish was to turn public opinion against the Manali shopkeepers, it backfired. On Instagram, where his video has collected over 400 comments, many people sided with the shopkeepers and said that logistical challenges in hilly areas justified the higher cost.
“Bro next time you should go with them to bring all the stuff then you will know why they are asking 10 rupees extra,” wrote one person in the comments section.
“Bhai toh apni Dilli me hi jakr lele, pahad tumhe Limca mil gaee wahi badi baat h, chup chaap le or jaa (Bro you should stay in Delhi and buy. It’s a big deal that you even managed to find Limca in the mountains),” another noted.
The video was also reposted on X with the caption: “They are tourists. They want food and beverages in the mountains, but if someone charges just ₹10–15 extra due to transportation costs, they start making videos to shame the local vendors and post them on social media.”
It elicited similar responses on X as well.
“This is what happens when you become an activist without realising ground reality. Cost in mountains will always be higher, and there is a reason for it,” wrote one X user.
“Next time, these people with seven lakh followers should load soft drinks, Maggi, and all the other godd*** essentials into their own trucks and transport them to the hills and remote areas, so local shopkeepers can sell them at regular prices instead of being criticized for charging more,” another declared.
“Pathetic tourists won’t mind paying Rs. 100–150 for bottled water at airports and 5-star hotels or for popcorn, but grudge paying a few rupees extra to vendors and grocery shop owners in remote Himalayan villages,” a user added.
ABOUT THE AUTHORSanya JainSanya Jain is an Assistant Editor with Hindustan Times Digital. She has nearly a decade of experience in covering offbeat stories that speak to the everyday experience - from viral videos to human interest copies that spark conversation. Her interests stretch across business, pop culture, social media trends, entertainment and global affairs. Before joining Hindustan Times, Sanya spent two years with Moneycontrol and five years with NDTV. She holds an undergraduate degree in English literature from St Stephen’s College, Delhi, and a master’s in journalism from the Xavier Institute of Communications, Mumbai. Sanya has a sharp eye for spotting emerging trends and looking for newsworthy angles to elevate viral posts into meaningful narratives. She was the first one, for example, to cover Narayana Murthy’s remark on 70-hour work weeks that sparked a national conversation. She is equally at ease writing about business leaders as about the common man, about issues of national importance and memes that amuse social media. Sanya enjoys speaking with content creators, newsmakers and entrepreneurs to transform everyday moments into engaging, slice-of-life stories that resonate with readers. When she is not working, Sanya can be found curled up with a good book. Born and raised in Lucknow, she has spent the last several years in Delhi. She is deeply interested in animal welfare and now spends a lot of her time running after her destructive orange cat.Read More

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