FIR lodged against Jawed Habib for spitting on woman's head

Jawed Habib. Image/Official Facebook account

An FIR has been registered against hairstylist Jawed Habib after a video went viral showing him spitting on a woman's head while giving her a haircut.

Following this, another video of the woman, Pooja Gupta, narrating the incident also went viral.

The woman explained her displeasure over the incident and said she would never get a haircut from Habib again.

The video was of a seminar conducted by the hairstylist on January 3.

In the video, Habib is heard telling the audience: "If there is a shortage of water, use saliva."

The FIR was lodged at Mansurpur police station in Muzaffarnagar on a complaint filed by Gupta.

Habib has been booked under Section 355 (assault or criminal force with intent to dishonour person, otherwise than on grave provocation) of the Indian Penal Code and the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, the police said.

The hairstylist has apologised for the incident in a video on his Instagram account.

The matter is being investigated by the local police, said Arpit Vijayvargiya, SP City, Muzaffarnagar. Speaking to ANI, Muzaffarnagar city SP, Arpit Vijayvargiya, said, "In a viral video showing Jawed Habib spitting on a woman's hair. The police are investigating the matter and we are getting the information. Necessary action will be taken."

The victim, Pooja Gupta, told reporters, "I run my own parlour and I went there to learn the skills and new techniques. I was not knowing that he (Jawed Habib) will spit on my head. This is a humiliation. My students and audiences were laughing at me."

Earlier, National Commission for Women (NCW) on Thursday wrote to Delhi Commissioner of Police Rakesh Asthana on viral video showing hairstylist Jawed Habib allegedly spitting on a woman's hair urging him to take action in the matter.

Their tweet read, "@NCWIndia has taken cognizance of the incident. Chairperson @sharmarekha has written to @dgpup to immediately investigate the veracity of this viral video and take appropriate action. The action taken must be apprised to the Commission at the earliest."

Jawed Habib later issued an apology through a video.

He said, "These are professional workshops, as in, they are attended by people from within our profession. When these sessions get very long, we have to make them humorous." Habib added, "I apologise from the bottom of my heart. Please forgive me."

(With agency inputs)