MP: Teen queer artist kills self after hate comments on social media, claims actor
PTC News Desk: A 16-year-old queer artist from Madhya Pradesh's Ujjain killed himself after receiving thousands of hate comments on an Instagram reel, claimed an actor.
Pranshu, a 16-year-old queer artist from Ujjain, was a self-taught makeup artist who ran an Instagram account with makeup and beauty content. The 16-year-old posted an Instagram transition reel in a saree on Diwali.
Trinetra Haldar Gummaraju, who has been featured in the web series 'Made In Heaven,' claimed that the artist's comment section was flooded with over 4,000 homophobic remarks, which pushed them to take this drastic step. The artist had over 16,500 Instagram followers under the handle 'glamitupwithpranshu'.
Trinetra claimed that online platforms such as Instagram, which is owned by Meta, have repeatedly failed to provide a safe space for people in the LGBTQ community, and that the hashtag #JusticeForPranshu "has no posts because some violate community guidelines."
Several members of the LGBTQ community expressed their grief and criticized platforms such as Instagram, X, and Facebook for failing to combat cyberbullying.
According to the Free Press Journal, the in-charge of the Nagjhiri police station, KS Gehlot, said that the exact reason for the death has yet to be ascertained, and an investigation is underway.
- With inputs from agencies
