UP: BTech student dies by suicide in Barabanki; alleges extortion by girlfriend's family in video

NEW DELHI: A 20-year-old BTech student at a private university allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself in the courtyard of his home in Uttar Pradesh’s Barabanki district, police said on Thursday. Before taking his life, he shared a video on social media accusing his “girlfriend” and her family of blackmail and extortion.

The youth’s family claimed that the engineering student was in a relationship with a 19-year-old girl who was an intermediate student. Tushar Nagar was pursuing a BTech degree from Ramswaroop University and had been staying at his family's second house in the Lakhpedabagh locality. He was the only son of Sarvesh, a resident of Jewli village in the Mohammadpur Khala area, they said.

According to the family, Tushar had dinner on Tuesday night and went to sleep in his room. The next morning, he was found dead, hanging with a noose around his neck. They said that Tushar was in a relationship with the girl and was also friends with her brother, which led to his frequent visits to her home. The girl lived with her brother in a rented room in Barabanki city. Around a week ago, the girl's family had lodged a complaint with police, accusing Tushar of harassment.

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Rs 30 lakh demanded: Mother

The police had called both parties and mediated a settlement. However, the deceased's family alleged that even after the settlement, the girl's father took lakhs of rupees from them and continued to harass Tushar. According to them, the harassment persisted and was one of the main reasons that pushed Tushar to take the extreme step. Tushar's mother, Sushma Verma, alleged that her son and the girl were in a relationship and she possessed photographs of the two together as proof.

She claimed that the girl's father, Satish Verma, repeatedly filed complaints with the police and used the threat of legal action to extort Rs 5-6 lakh from the family. She further alleged that the family was being pressured for Rs 30 lakh and threatened with false criminal cases if they failed to pay. Fearing harassment and imprisonment, the family had already paid Rs 4-5 lakh.

Following the suicide, Sushma Verma lodged a police complaint against five people -- the girl's father Satish Chandra Verma, her grandfather Ramesh Chandra Verma, her brother Ayush Verma, Aradhya Verma and Jai Prakash Verma -- accusing them of abetment to suicide, extortion, and issuing threats. SHO RK Rana said an FIR has been registered against the five individuals. The case is being investigated under Sections 108 (abetment of suicide), 308(extortion), 351(criminal intimidation), and 61(criminal conspiracy) of the BNS, Rana said.

If you know someone – friend or family member – at risk of suicide, please reach out to them. Those in distress or having suicidal thoughts or tendencies could seek help and counselling by calling 9820466726 or visiting AASRA’s official website or can call iCALL on 9152987821. Here are some more helpline numbers of suicide prevention organisations that can offer emotional support to individuals and families.