Madurai

A dangerous trend of posting videos with weapons has emerged among the youth, glorifying rowdyism and declaring themselves as ‘dons’ on Instagram, former AIADMK Minister R B Udhayakumar said on Thursday.In a video statement, the AIADMK leader said the intense competition for online popularity has also led to cyberbullying.

“In an environment of intense competition, driven by severe, unrestrained, and uncivilised criticisms, how many ‘Insta celebrities’ have ended up taking their own lives today,” Udhayakumar asked.

Referring to recent revenge killings driven by online provocations, the AIADMK leader cited the murder of 26-year-old ‘Sullan’ Madhan in Sivaganga district, an incident fueled by Instagram reels.

He also pointed to the killing of 24-year-old Surya in Madurai following an online dispute over the title of local ‘Don’ and the murders of Ashok Kumar and Sriram in Coimbatore, which stemmed from rival factions brandishing weapons and issuing threats on social media.

Udhayakumar said instead of bringing order to the chaos, the ruling TVK government is encouraging this “reel culture”.

“They are unable to maintain law and order. Through Instagram, they are diverting the people’s attention. Insta reels are not just for the youth. It is an obsession for the ruling TVK government too,” he added.

Udhayakumar charged that the administration has offered this dangerous digital obsession as a “fatal gift” to the youth, allowing what begins as online entertainment to devolve into real-world bloodshed.