TikTok sensation Arafat Opu, better known as TikToker Opu or ‘Ofu Bai’, has been arrested by the police on August 3 along with an accomplice named Nazmul Hossain on charges of assaulting, harassing and beating three youths in Uttara area of the capital.
The investigating officer of the case, Azizur Talukder, a sub-inspector of Uttara East police station, confirmed the news to the press, saying that the duo was arrested around 10.30pm from Uttara Sector-6.
On the following day, the police produced Opu (20) and his friend Nazmul (21) before a Dhaka court. Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Debdas Chandra Adikari sent them to jail, rejecting a three-day remand plea.
Opu, Nazmul and a few more unidentified youths have been accused of assaulting locals in Uttara area on Sunday evening.
Mehedi Hassan Robin, one of the locals, was driving his car with three friends when they came across Opu and his accomplices blocking a road in sector-8 area. When they asked the TikTokers to let the car pass, Opu and his accomplices physically attacked them, leaving Robin and two others seriously injured.
SM Mahbub Alam, Robin’s father, subsequently filed the police case which landed Opu in jail.
Hasibul Haque, a friend of Robin, posted a detailed account of the incident on Facebook which quickly went viral. According to the status, around 60-70 enraged youths assaulted the locals.
On the heels of the arrest, Opu and three other video makers have been banned from the Singerpore-based video creation and sharing platform Likee.
According to a statement released on August 4, the video platform decided to ban the youths on the basis of an allegation raised by a Facebook group ‘Cyber 71,’ which accuses Opu and his accomplices of making dangerous and violent short videos.
Opu, a 20 year old TikTok and Likee video maker, who has a huge fan following, is originally from Sonaimuri, Noakhali. His arrest has sparked mixed reaction from social media users.
Many are arguing that Opu and his accomplices are being disproportionately vilified across the board because of their unique hairstyle, poor background, and ‘uncultured’ manners.
While the news of the arrest has not shocked anyone, a section of netizens is condemning the exhilaration displayed by the general public on social media following Opu’s arrest, asking why such public outrage has been selective in the past.
Others have welcomed TikToker Opu’s arrest, stating their fears regarding the spread of ‘gang culture.’