Gujarat tragedy: 57 watch as couple die by suicide during Instagram Live in Dahod
Families alert police after seeing livestream, but officers unable to reach couple in time
Dubai: A 22-year-old man and a 16-year-old girl allegedly died by suicide while livestreaming on Instagram from a forested area in Gujarat, with dozens of relatives and friends reportedly watching the tragedy unfold.
Indian media reports said the incident occurred on October 4 in Dahod district after the families allegedly opposed the couple’s relationship.
The man, identified as Rajesh Ninama, and the teenage girl were residents of Limkheda taluka. According to police, the two travelled to a forested area in Singvad taluka, where they began an Instagram Live session.
Police said 57 people, including members of their families and friends, watched the livestream. Some viewers alerted the authorities after realising what was happening.
Police teams were immediately sent to locate the couple, but poor mobile connectivity and difficulties in identifying their exact location hampered efforts to reach them in time, according to Indian media reports.
By the time officers reached the forested area, the couple had died.
Police said Ninama had taken the girl to meet his parents a few days earlier and sought their permission for the two to marry. His parents allegedly objected because the couple belonged to the same clan and shared the same surname.
No suicide note
Investigators, however, have not concluded that family opposition was the sole reason for the deaths.
“A probe is on. Prima facie, it was a spontaneous act, and the circumstances suggest their families opposed the relationship,” Karan Panna, Assistant Deputy Superintendent of Police for the Limkheda division, was quoted as saying.
Police said no suicide note was found and investigators were examining whether there were other factors behind the deaths.
The couple’s mobile phones have been sent for forensic examination. Police are also questioning their friends as part of the investigation.
The Instagram livestream is expected to form an important part of the probe because it captured the couple’s final moments and was witnessed in real time by relatives and friends.
The bodies were sent for post-mortem examination before being handed over to their families for the final rites.
Police have registered an accidental death case and said further action would depend on the findings of the investigation.
