A month-old video by Mumbai-based TikTok influencer Faizal Siddiqui has found itself in the middle of an online outrage for showcasing a man attacking a woman for ending her relationship with him, and promoting revenge on a woman.
Rekha Sharma, chairman of the National Commission for Women (NCW), on Monday, 18 May, tweeted that the body has taken cognisance of the viral video for allegedly promoting acid attack.
Mumbai-based Siddiqui reportedly has over 13.4 million followers on TikTok.
A nine-second clip on the social media platform went viral, in which he is seen saying: “Did the man you left me for abandon you?” following which he goes on to allegedly depict an acid attack, users on Twitter claimed.
Disclaimer: The following video is disturbing, viewer discretion advised.
Poured Water, Not Acid: Siddiqui In Statement
In a statement released on Instagram, Siddiqui said that the video was edited out of context. He says that in the first part of the video, he was seen drinking water which he goes on to pour at the girl’s face.
However, he offered no explanation on why the girl in the video was shown with a scarred face, and what its implication was.
The Quint has not been able to independently verify the exact date on which the video was posted.
The NCW has written to TikTok India seeking the removal of the video and the deletion of Siddiqui’s account for instigating violence against women.
Ban TikTok Trends On Twitter
Soon after the video went viral on Twitter, users called for a ban on TikTok and removal of Faizal Siddiqui.
“Can’t imagine what it would be like to be a survivor of acid attack, one of the scariest thing possible, and seeing someone on TikTok making fun of it,” Twitter user Amit Mohan wrote.
Highest Number of Acid Attacks In India
In India, at least one case of acid attack occurs every day. However, the country with the most number of acid attacks has the least number of convictions – less than 5 percent – say activists who work closely with acid attack victims.
Data from the National Bureau of Crime Records (NCRB), which started classifying acid attacks as a separate case, show that:
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)