Thiruvananthapuram: The shock suicide by a youth who was a recent victim of moral policing in Kerala has shocked the state and triggered a wave of protests on social media against the rising incidence of self-styled ethics enforcers.

The 22-year-old victim from Agali in Palakkad district, identified as Aneesh, and his girlfriend were harassed on Valentine’s Day this month, when they were together at Azheekal beach.

A group of men accosted them and besides shaming the duo on the spot, they also posted a video of them on social media to add to their humiliation.

Unable to cope with the stress and mental pressure inflicted on him and his girlfriend, and shocked by continued humiliation on social media, Aneesh hanged himself on Thursday. The victim had been working as an e-literacy programme volunteer.

In his suicide statement, Aneesh has reportedly mentioned one Dhanish and one more person as those responsible for his decision to take his life.

Police had already registered a case against five people, and the case will now become one of abetting suicide. The State Human Rights Commission also took cognisance of the case and filed a suo moto case in connection with the suicide of the youth following an act of moral policing.

The incident triggered a flurry of protests on social media, calling for an end to the increasing incidence of moral policing in different parts of the state. Earlier this month, a youth who attended a programme in a city college was also manhandled in an apparent case of moral policing.

Last week, two youngsters who were engaged to be married were questioned by women police when they were spending time at a park in Thiruvananthapuram. The policewomen questioned their “indecent behaviour”.

The two were then taken to a local police station and questioned by officers about their behaviour. The youngsters, however, brought the incident to public attention through a social media post that went viral and brought condemnation for the police action. The state police chief later ordered a probe into the incident.

Following a wave of support on social media, the engaged duo, Vishnu and Arathi advanced their marriage plans and got married on Saturday. To drive home their point against ‘moral policing’ by police, they cut a cake in the Kanakakkunnu park where they were questioned by the police.