Two Men Arrested In Tamil Nadu For Performing Tongue-Splitting Procedure Without Safety Equipment

Police have arrested two men for running an unlicensed tattoo parlour in Tamil Nadu's Trichy and allegedly performing a tongue-splitting procedure on a youngster without any safety equipment or medical training. The cops took action against the duo after they shared videos on social media, promoting the dangerous operation. Officials sealed their unlicensed tattoo centre. They said the two had no formal training for performing the dangerous operation nor any qualification or license to run the centre. 

The police booked the duo under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including on charges of acts endangering human life and voluntarily causing hurt or injury. 

The tattoo shop owners have been identified as S Hariharan, 24, a native of Chinthamani and his friend V Jayaraman, 24, a resident of Koothaippar. 

Trichy corporation officials, who conducted an investigation, reportedly said that the shop was active for more than a month and was open to providing services such as splitting tongues, tattooing eyeballs and piercing body parts without a license. During the probe, the corporation's health team even found surgical items in the shop. 

Cops said that Hariharan got a tattoo in his eyeball seven months back. He travelled to Mumbai and spent Rs 2 lakh on the eye tattoo. He then returned to Trichy and had been tattooing people without appropriate training.

The Trichy Corporation shut down and sealed the tattoo shop on Sunday night. 

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Notably, tongue splitting involves cutting the tongue in half to create a lizard-like forked effect. According to Healthline, the procedure can potentially cause dangerous complications, such as nerve damage, muscle damage and infection, especially if not done by an experienced professional. Tongue splitting is considered so dangerous that even the American Dental Association (ADA) warns people not to do it. 

Previously, health bodies also warned that oral piercings, such as those of the tongue and lips, also carried health risks. These include tooth fractures, gum damage, infection, mouth lesions and swelling that can lead to breathing difficulties.