A 40-year-old man from Kozhikode tragically ended his life on Sunday, just days after a video alleging sexual harassment on a public bus went viral on social media, triggering widespread online attention and deep personal distress.
The deceased, who lived in Govindapuram and worked as a sales manager at a local textile shop, was found hanging at his residence early in the morning. Police said his parents were inside the house at the time. When he did not respond to repeated calls, worried neighbours broke open the door and discovered him dead.
The sequence of events started when a woman uploaded a video claiming the man had deliberately touched her inappropriately during a crowded bus ride from Payyannur railway station to the bus stand. The clip spread rapidly, gathering more than 20 lakh views and generating a flood of comments, arguments, and outrage across platforms.
According to statements from the man’s relatives and friends, he suffered intense mental trauma after the video exploded online. They portrayed him as someone who steered clear of disputes and maintained that the footage had severely damaged his reputation. Some family members went further, alleging the video was created primarily to gain attention and online visibility.
The relatives also pointed to the heavy wave of online abuse the man faced once the allegation circulated. In response, reports noted that the woman who posted the video herself became a target of cyber harassment.
The alleged incident is said to have taken place in Payyannur. Kozhikode Medical College police station has recorded the death as unnatural and launched an investigation. Officers are looking into the complete sequence of events, including the circumstances surrounding the suicide and the content of the viral video, with appropriate legal steps to follow.
The man had travelled to Kannur on Friday for work purposes, after which the video surfaced.
The incident has once again highlighted the devastating speed and impact of viral allegations circulating on social media. The police investigation remains ongoing.
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