Kerala
Viral allegation ends in tragedy: Kerala man dies by suicide after influencer’s bus harassment claim
Thiruvananthapuram/IBNS: A 42-year-old man from Kozhikode, Kerala, has died by suicide days after an influencer accused him of sexual harassment in a viral social media video.
The deceased, identified as Deepak U, was found hanging inside his home on Sunday morning, police confirmed.
According to officials, Deepak’s parents tried to wake him around 7 am but received no response.
With the help of neighbours, they broke open the door and found him dead.
Viral video sparked public outrage
Relatives said Deepak worked at a textile firm and had travelled to Kannur on Friday for work.
On the same day, a woman travelling on the bus recorded a video alleging that he misbehaved with her during the journey.
The woman, who is an influencer, later uploaded the clip to her social media account.
"Social media trial killed a youth." 💔
— Suraj Kumar Bauddh (@SurajKrBauddh) January 19, 2026
Deepak U, a sales manager from Kerala, died by suicide after a woman, Shimjitha Musthafa, uploaded a video accusing him of improper touching and sexual harassment on a bus.
The video itself appears to show that she moved closer to him… pic.twitter.com/ZkKtJBreXN
The video showed both of them standing close to each other in a crowded bus. The clip quickly went viral, amassing over 20 lakh views before being deleted.
Family members said Deepak saw the video and was deeply disturbed by the public attention it generated.
Family claims he was innocent
Deepak’s parents alleged that he was innocent and could not cope with the humiliation caused by the viral accusation.
They said he had not eaten for two days after the video spread online.
His father stated that the family plans to approach Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan seeking justice in the matter.
They believe the social media post played a direct role in his mental distress.
Influencer deletes video, issues explanation
After the backlash, the influencer deleted the original video and later shared another clip explaining her stance.
However, that video was also subsequently made private.
The police have registered a case of unnatural death and said statements from family members and others will be recorded as part of the investigation.
Activist seeks abetment case
Social activist Rahul Eashwar has submitted a complaint to the Kerala Police, demanding that a case of abetment to suicide be registered against the woman who posted the video.
Police officials said they are examining all aspects of the incident, including the social media posts, as part of their probe.
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