A 24-year-old woman in eastern Bengaluru, Karnataka, died by suicide after sustained harassment by her uncle, who claimed to possess her private and intimate videos, police said on Thursday.
According to a report by Deccan Herald, the identified deceased Suhasi Singh used to work with a prominent IT company in the city. Singh put petrol on herself and burnt alive on January 12. She succumbed to her injuries before reaching the hospital.
The HAL police, under the Whitefield division, have arrested 42-year-old Praveen Singh and charged him under Section 108 (abetment of suicide) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). According to the police, Suhasi was Praveen’s niece through his wife.
Further police said that on January 12, around 8 pm, Suhasi met Praveen, an insurance agent, at Radha Hotel near Kundalahalli Metro Station at his request to "resolve their issues."
Police Suspect Suicide After Harassment
Police suspect that Suhasi, distressed by persistent harassment, brought petrol with her, having premeditated her actions, and set herself on fire in the hotel room. Praveen reportedly attempted to save her and took her to Victoria Hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries. He also sustained minor injuries while saving her. It is suspected that Suhasi and Praveen were previously in a relationship, but investigations are ongoing, and no conclusions have been drawn yet.
After a complaint by Suhasi’s mother, the HAL police filed a criminal case on January 13. Suhasi, whose parents live in Kalena Agrahara in Bengaluru, had been residing with her paternal grandparents in Channasandra for the past six years, as noted in the FIR. She had a 19-year-old sister. Praveen and his wife Sandhya lived in an apartment in KR Puram, and Suhasi, being a close relative, often visited their home, police added.
“When the victim had holidays from work, she frequently went on trips with the suspect and his wife,” a police official said. “She started seeing someone else recently and hence Praveen began harassing her". “Due to sustained harassment, she killed herself, " the officer also said.
Suhasi’s parents, unaware of the harassment she faced, were informed about it by her friend Navnath Patil, according to the FIR. On January 13, Patil met the family and disclosed that Praveen had been harassing Suhasi and threatening to leak her private video clips.
“Praveen harassed her and demanded sexual favours". “She told me that she was contemplating killing herself. I urged her to talk to her parents, "Patil said.