India: Bengaluru techie commits suicide, blames wife and in-laws in 24-page note
They tortured my son, tortured us too. But my son took everything upon himself: Mother
Dubai: The parents of 34-year-old Atul Subhash, who died by suicide citing harassment and extortion by his estranged wife and her family, revealed he endured severe stress and frequent travel — over 40 trips between Bengaluru and Uttar Pradesh’s Jaunpur for court hearings, according to NDTV.
“They tortured my son and us too. But he bore it all alone. He kept burning inside,” said his grieving mother. His father added, “the court didn’t follow the law or guidelines of the high courts and Supreme Court. Each time one case ended, another would begin. He never showed his frustration to us.”
Subhash was found dead in his Bengaluru home on Monday, a ‘justice is due’ placard and a 24-page suicide note by his side. He accused his wife, Nikita Singhania, her mother, brother, and uncle of instigating him to end his life. Based on a complaint by his brother, Bikas Kumar, a case of abetment to suicide was filed against the four.
Police confirm harassment
Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Whitefield, Shivakumar confirmed Subhash’s death by suicide on December 9. “His wife and her family harassed him and demanded money, which led to this tragedy. A complaint was lodged, and an FIR has been registered. Investigations are ongoing,” he told ANI.
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Advocate Awadhesh Tiwari from Jaunpur disclosed that Subhash faced multiple allegations, including dowry and assault. In July, the court ordered him to pay Rs 40,000 monthly for his son’s maintenance while rejecting other financial demands.
Legal and financial strain
Subhash’s brother Bikas alleged the family demanded Rs 3crore (Rs30 million) to settle cases and Rs 30 lakh (Rs3 million) for visitation rights to his four-year-old son. Police said Subhash locked himself in his flat in Bengaluru’s Manjunatha Layout before ending his life. His suicide note implicated a family court judge and a local officer in Jaunpur for corruption and bias.
In a video shared with an NGO, he urged his family to withhold immersing his ashes until justice was served.
Marriage and allegations
In an 81-minute video, Subhash recounted marrying Nikita in 2019 after meeting her on a matchmaking site. Their son was born the following year. He alleged her family frequently demanded large sums of money, and when he refused, she left with their son in 2021.
In 2022, she filed multiple cases against him, including allegations of dowry harassment, murder, and unnatural sex. She also claimed his demands for Rs 1million caused her father’s death. Subhash refuted this in his note, stating, “She confessed during cross-examination that her father was chronically ill and treated at AIIMS for over a decade. Doctors gave him only months to live, which expedited our marriage.”
Systemic frustration
Subhash alleged that his wife’s family initially demanded Rs10 million, later increasing it to Rs30 million, to settle the case. He recounted a court exchange where his wife allegedly said, “then why don’t you [die by suicide]?” after he mentioned the plight of men falsely accused.
He also claimed the judge laughed and demanded Rs500,000 to resolve the matter.
Final plea for reform
In his note, Subhash criticised the systemic bias in India’s legal system, writing, “the harder I work, the more my family and I are harassed, with the system enabling my tormentors. Now, with me gone, there will be no money and no reason to harass my parents and brother. I’ve destroyed my body but saved everything I believe in.”
Bikas Kumar called for accountability, saying, “Every law in India favors women, leaving men defenseless. My brother fought until he couldn’t. I urge the government and President to investigate this case and deliver justice.” Friend Jackson remarked, “In his video and notes, he doesn’t appear depressed but rather frustrated by systemic harassment.”