Thaslik K.Y., a native of Sreemoolanagaram near Aluva, who has been at the centre of an unprecedented social media shaming campaign over his uncanny similarity with the sketch prepared by the police in the Perumbavoor murder case, has come out strongly against irresponsible social media activism and urged people to refrain from sharing his photograph along with the sketch of the suspect.
Addressing media persons here on Monday, the youth said the campaign had damaged his personal and professional life. After his photograph went viral on the social media, the Special Investigation Team probing the case summoned him to the Perumbavoor Dy.SP’s office, took his finger prints and interrogated him.
Meanwhile, the director of the upcoming Malayalam flick “Mukhapadangal”, in which Thaslik was selected to play a role, sought to set aside rumours of the youth being removed from the cast. “Thaslik was misinformed by some of the crew of the movie that he might be removed from the cast due to similarities with the sketch. It was following such calls that he put a post on Facebook stating that he had been removed from the cast”, the director told media persons.
Thaslik, who works as a salesman in a textile shop, had posted a selfie which Facebook users shared along with the sketch prepared by the police the other day. The youth even had a gap in the front row of his teeth, which prompted several netizens to name him the culprit without any verification.
Worried by the online abuse, Thaslik later posted a video message asking the social media users to abstain from sharing the post.
“By sharing my picture, the users have created so much trouble for me. Now, I am afraid of even getting attacked by the public’’, he said in his post.
Youth urges people not to share his photograph with the sketch of murder suspect
