Kerala man dies by suicide after video alleging harassment on bus goes viral; men's rights activists demand police action against woman

A 42-year-old man, U Deepak, died by suicide in Kerala on Sunday (January 18), days after he was accused of harassing a woman on a bus. His death has sparked widespread debate and outrage on social media, with many questioning the allegation and the impact of viral online accusations. Deepak, a native of Kozhikode, worked at a textile firm and was travelling to Kannur for work on January 16, as per his family. During the journey, a woman named Shimjitha, who says she is a consultant psychologist and commerce lecturer, was travelling on the same Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) bus.

Shimjitha later shared a video on Instagram that went viral. In the clip, Deepak’s elbow is seen brushing against her body while he was getting down from the bus. She alleged that the contact was intentional and called it a “sexual boundary violation.” However, many viewers argued that the bus was crowded and that the contact appeared accidental. Responding to comments, Shimjitha told Asianet News that she started recording after noticing another woman appearing uncomfortable near Deepak. She claimed that when the bus became less crowded at the bus stand, Deepak deliberately grazed her, even after noticing that she was recording. She stood by her allegation but said she did not expect Deepak to die by suicide.

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Deepak was found dead in his room on the morning of January 18. His friends and relatives said he was under severe mental stress after the video spread widely online. One person close to him said the public shaming affected him and urged people to be cautious before posting or sharing such content without knowing the full truth.

Following his death, several men’s rights activists expressed anger towards Shimjitha. Rahul Easwar, a men’s rights activist and TV commentator, demanded police action against her and said Deepak was the sole breadwinner of his family. He also renewed calls for a men’s rights commission to address issues such as false harassment allegations.