Bagalavan Perier B By

Express News Service

VILLUPURAM: A man who had abandoned home and fled three years back has been identified and brought back for counselling, thanks to social media. Though the popular mobile app TikTok has received much criticism from political leaders and activists over its alleged contribution to cyberbullying and harassment, it’s the very same app that helped identify the man.

Police say the man, Suresh, a native of Krishnagiri, was married to Jayapradha from Villupuram and they had two children. One fine day in 2016, he left their house not to return. After enquiring with Suresh’s friends and relatives, and searching different places, she lodged a complaint. A case was booked but nothing happened after that till recently.

A few weeks back, Jayapradha’s relative happened to watch a video on TikTok, in which a person resembling Suresh appeared. When he showed the video to Jayapradha, she confirmed it was her husband. The matter was immediately taken up with Villupuram police and they traced him down to Hosur.

Suresh, police say, had left home as he was upset with certain developments. He moved to Hosur and was working there as a mechanic in a tractor company. He was also in a relationship with a trans woman in Hosur. “The trans woman was also in the video, and we traced them down with the help of the transgender association in Villupuram,” said an officer. “We have counselled Jayapradha and Suresh and have sent them back home.”