Kerala man dies by suicide after viral harassment allegation video

A 40-year-old man was found dead at his residence in Kozhikode early Sunday morning, days after a woman posted a viral video accusing him of sexual harassment on a bus.

According to media reports, the video, which garnered more than 2 million views, showed the woman alleging that the man deliberately touched her while travelling on a crowded Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) bus.

Relatives and friends said the man was under severe mental distress following the widespread circulation of the video. His family alleged that the post amounted to character assassination and claimed it was created for social media publicity.

The man, who worked at a textile firm, had been travelling to Kannur for work on January 16, according to family members.

In the video, the woman said the contact was not accidental but a “sexual boundary violation”.

She told the media that she began recording after noticing another woman appearing uncomfortable during the bus journey. Later, when the bus became less crowded, she alleged that the man intentionally grazed her.

“I did not expect he would die by suicide,” she was quoted as saying by Asianet News.

Friends and family expressed grief over the death and urged people to act responsibly on social media.

“That video hurt him. Don’t play with anyone’s life. Don’t post or share such things without knowing the truth,” a relative said.

The incident has sparked outrage among men’s rights activists, with several highlighting concerns over false sexual harassment allegations. Some groups renewed demands for a men’s rights commission to address issues faced by men.

The incident took place in Payyannur, and Kozhikode Medical College police have registered it as an unnatural death and launched a formal investigation.