Woman Detained After Kerala Man Dies By Suicide Over Her Harassment Claims In Viral Video

Last Updated:January 21, 2026, 6:04 PM IST

The man, identified as Deepak U, was found dead at his residence on Sunday. Police said he ended his life after the woman allegedly accused him of sexual assault.

The woman, identified as Shimjitha Musthafa, had also posted a video of the alleged incident in which she claimed she was assaulted.

A 35-year-old woman has been taken into police custody in connection with the suicide of a 42-year-old man in Kerala. The man, identified as Deepak U, was found dead at his residence in Govindhapuram, Kozhikode, on Sunday.

According to police, Deepak hanged himself after the woman, Shimjitha Musthafa, allegedly accused him of sexual assault during a bus journey.

Shimjitha had also posted a video of the alleged incident online, claiming she had been assaulted. The video quickly went viral and triggered intense public backlash.

The Kozhikode Medical College police registered a case against Shimjitha under charges of abetment to suicide. A non-bailable warrant had been issued against her, and a lookout circular was in place before she was taken into custody on Wednesday from Kozhikode.

Police said the detention followed a preliminary investigation into whether the online accusations and the resulting cyber harassment contributed to Deepak’s death.

Family members of the deceased said Deepak was deeply distressed after the video went viral and claimed he faced intense online abuse. Relatives alleged that he was subjected to character assassination on social media and described the video as being created for publicity. They also said that Deepak generally stayed away from controversies and had been under severe mental stress in the days leading up to his death.

Police said the alleged incident occurred during a bus journey from Payyannur railway station. Deepak, who worked as a sales manager at a textile store in Kozhikode, frequently travelled for work and had been in Kannur on Friday prior to the video’s circulation.

(With inputs from agencies)

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