'Woman should be charged with abetment to suicide'; Rahul Easwar files complaint regarding youth's suicide

KOZHIKODE: Activist Rahul Easwar has filed a complaint with the State Police Chief regarding the incident in which a youth committed suicide after a video circulated on social media. In his complaint, Rahul demanded that the woman who recorded and posted the video should be charged with abetment to suicide. High Court lawyer and social activist Kulathoor Jaisingh has also filed a complaint demanding the arrest of the woman. The complaint has been forwarded from the Chief Minister's Office to the Director General of Police. Deepak's father has also said that he will file a complaint against the woman.

U Deepak (42), a native of Govindapuram in Kozhikode, was found hanging in a room inside his house at around 11 a.m. on Sunday. Earlier, a woman had shared a video on social media alleging that he sexually harassed her while travelling on a bus. Relatives and friends said that Deepak was under severe mental stress after the video went viral.

In the video, the woman alleged that Deepak intentionally touched her body with sexual intent inside the bus. There are indications that the Vadakara police had spoken to Deepak regarding the incident after the video circulated on social media. The woman has been facing strong criticism on social media after the news of Deepak's suicide came out. She responded to the criticism later the same day.

"I was travelling on a bus from Payyannur railway station to Payyannur bus stand. The man was standing in front of me. During the journey, I noticed the fear and discomfort on the face of a girl standing ahead of him. I did not ask her anything. I just switched on my phone camera, but did not record at that moment. Despite seeing this, he remained cool. Later, when the bus became less crowded and reached the bus stand, I saw the man trying to brush against the girl. That is when I started recording the video. I was standing behind him while he was getting off the bus.

The man repeatedly tried to touch my body with his hand. This can be seen in the video. I moved away, but he repeated the act. When I questioned him, he walked away quickly. I later called a police officer I knew at Vadakara station and reported the matter. After this, I shared the video after editing it, requesting people to help identify the man. I feel sad to hear about his death," the woman said.