Four cases has been registered by the Kerala police on Friday against a tattoo studio owner Sujeesh PS. This took place days after an 18-year-old girl’s account alleging sexual assault on a Reddit thread that led to a flurry of #MeToo allegations across social media. Kochi police commissioner Nagaraju Chakilam said in a report that four women had come forward to register formal complaints after persuasion and police had begun a search for the accused.
On March 2nd, the Reddit post shared triggered a floodgate of sexual assault, including rape. The popular tattooist in Kochi, Kerala. Sujeesh PS, the owner of Inkfected tattoo studio located at Palarivattom, has been accused by multiple women of molestation. His studio is visited by prominent actors and influencers.
Via Kochi, an Instagram page involved in tracking this case, the 18-year-old woman who had originally posted on Reddit, had decided to not file a case. Sharing her traumatic experience from over a week ago while getting inked on her lower back, she alleged that Sujeesh asked her inappropriate questions like “Is the tattoo because you like sex?” “Are you a virgin?” “How many times have you done it?” “Is the guy outside your boyfriend? Do you know about BDSM?”
Kerala police has also confirmed that Sujeesh is absconding.
She alleged that the man had escorted her into a private room to be inked. She further narrated that the the man of asking many uncomfortable questions while she was getting a tattoo.
“He started getting a little too personal and started making me feel uncomfortable. ‘Are you a virgin?’ ‘Is the tattoo because you like sex?’ How many times have you done it?’ Is the guy outside your boyfriend?’” her post read. He then allegedly sexually assaulted and raped her, the post alleged. With the tattoo incomplete, she fled the studio and later told her parents.
Sujeesh has an Instagram following of over 52,000 followers. He has not addressed the allegations against him. The followers count has only increased after the allegations on him.
Apart from assaulting, some of the survivors mentioned that Sujeesh gave them a “discount” on the bill after the tattoo was done. Many women who spoke to The Quint also said the he does not let the women’s friends accompany them inside the room where he inks them and he losks his room. There are several other accounts on social media, including people who have posted videos of their experiences.
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