Scolded for TikTok addiction, woman records suicide on app

She was rushed to the Ariyalur GH, but died without responding to treatment. The video soon went viral, as did some of the older videos she posted.

Anitha from Senthurai, Ariyalur, was married to Palanivel (29) of Seeranatham, Alathur and the couple have a four-year-old daughter and a two-year-old son. Palanivel, who used to be a farmer, went to Singapore a few years ago when his agriculture trade was unsuccessful. Anitha stayed back in Seeranatham with her children.

She became aware of TikTok a couple of years ago when a friend showed her the app, and soon got addicted to it. According to the police, Anitha had uploaded around 200 videos of herself on TikTok.

However, family members claimed that she was neglecting her children as a result of her TikTok addiction, and they warned her to stop. When she refused to give up posting videos, they informed Palanivel. Even he tried reasoning with her, but Anitha couldn’t let go of TikTok, an officer noted.

On Monday, while playing, her daughter hurt herself and instead of tending to her, sources said Anitha was busy uploading a TikTok video. Her relatives informed Palanivel, who became furious and allegedly screamed at her over the phone. He also threatened her with destroying her mobile phone.

Anitha, who was extremely upset over the scolding, took a bottle of pesticide from the house, consumed it, all the while recording the whole suicide on TikTok. She fell unconscious and her relatives rushed her to Ariyalur GH. She was then taken to a private hospital in Tiruchy, however, she passed away without responding to treatment late on Monday. Based on a complaint by Anitha’s mother Thangamani, the Kunnam police registered a case.