A 39-year-old man died by suicide by setting himself on fire outside his wife's residence in Bengaluru's Nagarbhavi locality after failing to convince her to withdraw a divorce petition. The incident occurred on Thursday, January 23, morning.
The deceased, Manjunath, a cab owner from Kunigal town, had been married to Nayana since 2013. The couple shared a nine-year-old son but had been living separately for the past two years due to marital discord. Nayana had filed for divorce in 2022, and since then, the relationship had deteriorated further. Despite repeated efforts to reconcile, Manjunath's attempts to convince Nayana to withdraw the divorce petition were unsuccessful, police said.
On January 23, Manjunath visited Nayana's residence around 8.30 am to plead with her once again, but his request was declined. Nayana reportedly told him that she had endured significant emotional turmoil during their marriage and was firm in her decision. Manjunath returned around 11.30 am and killed himself outside Nayana’s house. He died on the spot.
Following the incident, Manjunath's mother, Nanjamma, filed a police complaint accusing Nayana, her parents, and her sister of being responsible for her son's death. She alleged foul play and blamed them for emotionally tormenting her son. The Jnanabharathi police have registered a case under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Section 194 for disturbing public peace by indulging in a public fight. Investigation is underway.
If you are aware of anyone facing mental health issues or feeling suicidal, please provide help. Here are some helpline numbers of suicide prevention organisations that can offer emotional support to individuals and families.
Tamil Nadu
State health department's suicide helpline: 104
Sneha Suicide Prevention Centre - 044-24640050 (listed as the sole suicide prevention helpline in Tamil Nadu)
Andhra Pradesh
Life Suicide Prevention: 78930 78930
Roshni: 9166202000, 9127848584
Karnataka
Sahai (24-hour): 080 65000111, 080 65000222
Kerala
Maithri: 0484 2540530
Chaithram: 0484 2361161
Both are 24-hour helpline numbers.
Telangana
State government's suicide prevention (tollfree): 104
Roshni: 040 66202000, 6620200
SEVA: 09441778290, 040 27504682 (between 9 am and 7 pm)
Aasara offers support to individuals and families during an emotional crisis, for those dealing with mental health issues and suicidal ideation, and to those undergoing trauma after the suicide of a loved one.
24x7 Helpline: 9820466726
Click here for working helplines across India.