In a series of tragic incidents, Hindus have taken their own lives due to harassment or entrapment. These cases range from students facing discrimination to individuals experiencing love jihad-related pressures. The circumstances include emotional distress, exploitation, and pressure to convert to Islam or Christianity.

Here are ten such instances when Hindu youths committed suicide:

• On December 21, Hindu youth Rohan Chowdhury, a resident of Nadia district’s Prafullanagar village, died by suicide. He faced harassment from his converted wife, who pressured him to convert to Christianity. Rohan resisted, leading to marital issues and his wife leaving him. Alone and mentally disturbed, Rohan took his own life. The police discovered his body, and despite informing his wife, she didn’t come to receive it, prompting friends and neighbours to conduct his last rites.

• On November 2, in Dehradun’s Patelnagar area, 21-year-old Hindu man Rohit Sharma died by suicide, reportedly due to harassment and a love affair with 20-year-old Muslim woman Alisha. A case of abetment of suicide under IPC section 306 was registered against Alisha, her parents Imtiaz and Rishma, and her maternal uncle Nadeem, based on a complaint filed by Rohit’s father, Mahipal Sharma.

• On November 3, in the Sampoorna Nagar police station area of UP’s Lakhimpur Kheri district, a teenage Hindu girl, under pressure to convert to Islam, took her own life. Allegations by family members include the circulation of an objectionable video and repeated blackmail by youths from the Muslim community, specifically Zohid Akhtar and associates. The post-mortem report cited hanging as the cause of death. A case under POCSO has been registered, and one accused has been arrested, while three others are reportedly absconding.

• On October 7, 2023, in Rajasthan’s Pratapgarh district, two minor Hindu sisters committed suicide by consuming poison after allegedly being raped and harassed by four classmates. A case has been registered against the accused youths, including a minor, and they have been arrested. The police are investigating the rape allegations, and the bodies of the victims have been sent for postmortem examination.

• The incident occurred in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, with the minor Hindu girl committing suicide on September 3, 2023. The girl took her own life by consuming poison after her classmate, Shavez Rizvi, recorded and uploaded her video on Instagram on August 15. Shavez Rizvi was arrested on September 1 under IPC sections 394 and 500, as well as sections of the POCSO Act and IT Act, based on the family’s complaint. After the girl’s suicide, the IPC section for abetment to suicide was added to the FIR.

• On August 31, 2023, in UP’s Ghaziabad, Pinky Gupta, a 26-year-old Hindu woman, died by suicide at her residence, and her body was found hanging. In the handwritten suicide note recovered by the police, Pinky accused her live-in partner, Shakib, of being the reason behind her death, citing deceit and betrayal throughout their four-year relationship. The family members accused Shakib of trapping their daughter in love jihad. The police will investigate the case based on the suicide note.

• Bhupendra Vishwakarma (38) and his family died by suicide in Ratibad, with the suicide note revealing the extreme step was taken due to Bhupendra’s financial debt and threats from an online company. The company, operated by five Muslim men, hacked Bhupendra’s devices, circulated obscene content, and demanded money, leading to the family’s tragic decision. The Ratibad police arrested Sharik Beg, Mohammad Ubez Khan, Arshad Beg, Shahjahan Khan, and Farhan Rehman in connection with the digital scam.

• The incident occurred on Monday, July 10, 2023, in the Teltulmari neighbourhood of Dhanbad city, Jharkhand. Usha Kumari, a 17-year-old student of Std 10, died by suicide after being slapped, humiliated, and expelled from St. Xavier’s School for wearing a bindi. The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) took cognizance of the matter, but the article does not specify if a formal case has been registered.

• The incident occurred in the Khalari region of Jharkhand, where a minor Dalit girl died by suicide after being cheated, impregnated, and pressured to convert by Golu Ansari, who pretended to be a Hindu. The Leader of the Opposition in Jharkhand, BJP’s Babulal Marandi, brought attention to the case, urging the state CM to investigate and take strict action against the culprits.
• On June 5, 2023, a national-level baseball player, Sanjana Barkade, committed suicide by hanging herself after facing continued threats to convert to Islam in the Jabalpur district of Madhya Pradesh. The accused, who has been identified as Abdul Mansoori alias Rajan Khan, was arrested by Sanjeevni Nagar police on charges of abetment to suicide.