Faizal Siddiqui's TikTok account banned for 'glorifying' acid attack

Image Courtesy: IANS

Mumbai: TikTok sensation Faizal Siddiqui's account has been banned after he came under the scanner for allegedly "glorifying" acid attack in a video. The ban was enforced "due to multiple community guidelines violations".

Faizal, who had a 13 million-plus following on the video-sharing application, posted a clip in which he is seen throwing a liquid on a girl's face for betraying him. Later the girl is seen in the clip with grotesque make-up, suggesting a disfigured face.

Before throwing the liquid onto the girl's face, he mouths the dialogue: "Tumhe usne chhorr diya jiske liye tumne mujhe chhorra tha? (The guy you left me for, has left you?")

TikTok said Faizal's account "was banned due to multiple community guidelines violations".

A spokesperson of TikTok said the video-sharing platform had "taken down content, suspended the account, and are working with law enforcement agencies as appropriate".

"Keeping people on TikTok safe is a top priority and we make it clear in our Term of Service and Community Guidelines that clearly outlines what is not acceptable on our platform. As per the policy, we do not allow content that risks safety of others, promotes physical harm or glorifies violence against women," the spokesperson further stated, adding: "The behaviour in question violates our guidelines and we have taken down content, suspended the account, and are working with law enforcement agencies as appropriate."

Earlier on Tuesday, acid attack survivor Laxmi Aggarwal took to Instagram, where she shared the video and lashed out at Faisal. She thanked the National Commission for Women for cognizance of the video.

She wrote alongside the video: "Thanks to National Commission for Women for taking cognizane of the viral video by TikTok ‘influencer' Faizal Siddiqui promoting acid attack. Such videos/actions should be strictly debarred which are against society."

"We are working day and night to stop the acid attacks, violence against women. This cringe activity is not called influencing but promoting crime. Such persons are a curse to our society. So it is important to ban such videos and accounts from social media. Come forward-we urge you to stop acid violence-Stop Sale Acid @ncwindia," she added.

Filmmaker and actress Pooja Bhatt took to Twitter and said that the video is depraved.

"What on earth is wrong with people? This is depraved. How can you allow this kind of content on your platform @TikTok_IN This man needs to be taken to task. As for the woman in the video - do you realise what immense harm you are causing by participating in this?" Pooja wrote.

Actress Swara Bhasker tweeted: "Hey @TikTok_IN why and how are you allowing this kind of content -which is SO obviously celebrating and promoting aggression and violence against women, and perpetrating false misogynistic stereotypes -to be published & viewed freely on your platform??? #Shame."

Actor Ashish Chowdhry called it a pure example of sick side of social media.

"Pure example of the sick and diseased side of social media. @TikTok_IN must show sense by chopping of its tumour infected parts. There's a bunch of stupidly enthusiastic people doing just about anything on social media, who must be shown the door in order to keep a proper decorum."