Tiruchy tattoo artists share tongue splitting act on social media; held, parlour sealed

TIRUCHY: The craze among present-day youth for popularity and to draw maximum ‘likes’ has gone up several notches from the state of madness to ‘barbaric’, that is inflicting self-harm (tongue splitting, a latest stylish appearance).

A brutality of this kind came to light on Friday after Tiruchy police arrested two tattoo experts who resorted to tongue splitting. Corporation officials sealed the parlour at Mela Chinthamani on Monday.

Police said, Hariharan (25), owner of a tattoo parlour at Mela Chinthamani, recently underwent a tattoo process on his eyes, which appear greenish blue, and also split his tongue in Mumbai, merely to become a sensation among youth and social media platforms.

Hariharan performed the tongue splitting on his staff Jayaraman and shared the video on social media drawing pats and shocks, also police to his shop doors.

During the initial inquiry, the tattoo designer told cops that he paid Rs 2 lakh for the eye tattoo and the tongue splitting at the Mumbai shop.

Subsequently, the police arrested both Hariharan and Jayaraman and sent word to Corporation officials who reached the spot and sealed the parlour.

The cruel act of tongue-splitting has been banned in many European nations by governments and courts.