Chennai: At a time when some politicians in Tamil Nadu have been seeking a ban on the Chinese mobile application TikTok alleging that videos uploaded on it were culturally and morally degrading, the app has helped a woman trace her missing husband after three years. And guess what? The man was happily living with a transgender and posting videos of the same on TikTok.
In 2016, Suresh of Villupuram district in north Tamil Nadu had left home leaving Jayapradha, his wife of six years and two toddler children clueless and helpless. After trying to figure out his whereabouts, Jayapradha had finally lodged a ''man missing'' complaint with the police.
However, a few days ago, a relative of Jayapradha found some videos on TikTok featuring a transgender and a man with striking resemblance to Suresh and informed her about it. On seeing the video, Jayapradha confirmed that the man was indeed her husband and again sought help from the police.
“We were clueless on how to trace him as TikTok videos can be posted from any location. That’s when we decided to seek the help of a local non-governmental organisation Association of Community Empowerment. The NGO volunteers shared the video widely among various transgender groups in different parts of Tamil Nadu,” said a police officer.
A transgender volunteer in Krishnagiri identified the transgender as Rosy. Then, the NGO volunteers called up Rosy over phone and informed her that the man with whom she was living happily and posting videos on TikTok was actually the husband of another woman.
“Rosy, however, switched off her phone. Then, with the help of the volunteers, the NGO managed to locate her house in Krishnagiri,” the officer said. Rosy and Suresh were counseled and the man was finally reunited with his wife after three years.
By Dravida Thambi