Techie’s Suicide Sparks National Debate on ‘Wife’s Harassment’

In a majority of cases, women fall victims in family disputes but in an unusual incident, a man ended his life unable to withstand the relentless pressure from his wife and in-laws, who demanded a substantial sum to case legal action and allow him to see his son.

Atul Subhash, a 34-year-old techie from Bihar working in Bengaluru, took the extreme step after his in-laws and wife demanded Rs 3 crore to drop all the legal battles against him, and another Rs 30 lakh for permission to visit his son.

Before taking the extreme step, Atul recorded a message which has gone viral, catching the attention of netizens and even sparking a debate online about men’s rights and mental health.

He was found dead in his apartment in Manjunath Layout on December 9. He left behind a 24-page note and a 1.5-hour video, explaining about the harassment he underwent for numerous years from his estranged wife Nikita Singhania and her family.

He detailed about how multiple cases were foisted against him for alimony of Rs 2 crore, which pushed him to the brink.

Atul’s family said that their son had kept his ordeal hidden to shield them from pain. His mother fainted at the Patna airport while narrating how he endured the suffering silently. They reached the airport to collect Atul’s body.

In the suicide note, Atul mentioned about the legal battles he has ben facing in a family court in Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh. Nikita demanded for a high maintenance which led Atul to mental distress.

Following the death, Bengaluru police registered an abetment of suicide case against Nikita, her mother Nisha Singhania, brother Anurag Singhania and her uncle Sushil.

Atul’s brother Bikas demanded justice to his brother and said that judicial process should ensure protection to men too.

Atul married Nikita in 2019 and had a child together.