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Karnataka HC: Harassment Linked to Suicide Trial
19 Aug
Summary
- Court allows abetment to suicide trial against accused.
- Woman died by suicide after repeated pressure.
- Accused allegedly sabotaged marriage proposals.
The Karnataka high court has upheld criminal proceedings against an individual accused of abetting the suicide of a 22-year-old nursing student. The court, in an August 18 order, determined that the allegations describe a continuous pattern of behavior sufficient to proceed with a trial for abetment of suicide.
The prosecution contends that the accused, a married man with two children, relentlessly pressured the woman to marry him. He allegedly threatened to circulate their photographs and interfered with her marriage prospects, even contacting potential grooms. This conduct persisted despite the woman's clear refusal and an earlier suicide attempt on July 5, 2025.
Following the woman's death by suicide on July 29, 2025, a case was registered. The accused sought to quash the proceedings, but the high court found that the cumulative effect of the alleged harassment, including instigation and goading, was significant. The court emphasized that culpability could lie in the combined force of the alleged actions, especially considering the accused's alleged knowledge of the prior suicide attempt and the intervention of family and elders.
