Not able to get enough 'likes' on TikTok, Noida teenager commits suicide

A teenager allegedly committed suicide at his home in Noida last week as he was apparently "depressed" over not getting enough "likes" on his TikTok videos. 

18-year-old Noor Iqbal hanged himself to death at his home in Salarpur under Sector 39 police station limits in Noida on April 17, police said. 

The police found out in the investigation that he was unhappy over his videos not getting enough likes on Chinese video-sharing app TikTok. The teenager was active on the app and regularly posted videos of himself.

The police were informed of the incident April 17 and reached the spot immediately, senior police officials said. 

They broke down the door that was bolted from inside and found his body hanging from the ceiling fan on Thursday evening, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police, Noida, Ranvijay Singh said.

In absence of a suicide note, the police had to rely on the statements of family members and neighbours who told them that he was "depressed" because he was not getting the expected response on the social media app.

Initially, cops did not believe the theory. However, on further investigation, they are also arriving on a similar conclusion. 

"During inquiry it came to light that he would make videos on TikTok and nobody was 'liking' his videos on the app since past few days. It's a shocking finding... People from his family and neighbourhood said that he was really worried over not getting 'likes' on TikTok and that is why he took this extreme step," Singh said.

His neighbour Rukhsana said he was always involved in making videos and even used to call up people to like them. She claimed that he used to verbally abuse people if they did not like his videos on the app. 

TikTok, a popular mobile phone application made in China, allows users to post short clips of themselves performing acts, dance, stunts and lip-syncing songs and tunes. India is one of the biggest markets for TikTok. 

Noor Iqbal's family is a native of Malda in West Bengal and has been living in Noida's Salarpur for over a decade. His father Parvez works as mason and worked hard to fulfil the demands of his only son. He was home due to the lockdown over coronavirus. 

On Thursday, they had lunch together and when the father left to buy vegetables, his son hanged himself. 

Psychologists say that apps like TikTok are a quick medium to become famous and people are getting more and more involved in this due to lockdown.