If you are on Social Media or if you are aware of the current news. It’s likely that you must have heard about Subhash Atul. The matter was he committed suicide because of a fall allegation by his wife. Today’s newspapers and media have brought into light several cases that have gone beyond reason and ended with, apart from anything else, the ending of someone’s own life. 

These trends are not only heart-wrenching but also force us to come up with laws that are designed to ensure the safety of women and girls on the one hand and prevent those from being misused using them that are supposed to protect human rights. 

The blog will be shooting the vital questions emerging from these incidents, focusing mainly on the societal and legal interactions and the dynamics of the family.

Tragic Cases That Demand Attention

A 34-year-old software engineer, Subhash Atul, became one of those tragic cases of how emotional, financial, and legal strains can drive a person to such a point that they consider taking their own life. 

According to reports, Subhash Atul’s wife’s family threatened he would have to pay INR 3 crores to come through the legal process and also fulfill the visitation of his son along with his son. Subhash Atul drafted 24 pages in the suicide note before documenting his struggle through an extremely viral video on Twitter. 

What was in the Suicide Note? 

The suicide note written by Atul Subhash was a moving description of a stressed marriage and a terrible judicial contest. His wife, Nikita, accused him of severe crimes such as murder, dowry harassment, and unnatural sex. 

One of the allegations concerned her father’s death in 2019. Nikita alleged that Subhash’s family first insisted on a dowry of Rs 10 lakh, which brought about her father’s death from shock. Although, during court proceedings, Nikita confessed that it was not true; her father had died of a heart condition.

The note also referenced money demands. Nikita, through their joint son, demanded Rs 2 lakh in monthly maintenance, which at one time was a meager Rs 1 crore that then turned into Rs 3 crore. 

In 2020, one of Subhash’s claims was that he was continuously taken for money by his wife, mother-in-law, and brother-in-law because they used his money to get them expensive gifts and for a cloud kitchen business.

In the letter, Subhash showed how he felt about not seeing his son. To his boy, he wrote: “When I first saw you, I thought I could give my life for you any day. But, sadly, I am giving my life because of you. Now, you just feel like blackmail, using which I will be extorted more and more.”

It was his appeal for live telecasts of his case’s hearings to show the public what he called the “sad condition of the legal system” and the abuse of law in similar cases.

Subhash further blamed his wife for encouraging him. He claimed that the incident was when she mocked him by asking why he hadn’t yet died by suicide. He further experienced a judge laughing at his problem, which he said made him lose his faith in the legal system, during a court hearing.

He also wrote, “This incident, together with the encouragement to commit suicide from my wife and the laughable judge who was ridiculing my helplessness, has robbed my faith in the legal system.”

Video Highlights

“I feel that I should kill myself because the money I earn is making my enemies stronger. That same money will be used to destroy me, and this cycle will keep going.” 

“With the money from my taxes, this court and police system will harass me, my family, and other good people. So, the supply of value should be finished.”

He also demanded that his wife and her family not come near his body after his death. He told his family to stop the burial of his ashes until his harassers were punished. Requiring justice, Subhash told his family to dispose of his ashes in the gutter outside the court if the alleged harassers are not found guilty.

Indian 🇮🇳 Social Media :#AtulSubhash
Atul Subhash, 38, lost his life to suicide.

-Faced false charges of murder, unnatural sex, and Section 498A and others.
-₹3 crore settlement demand despite giving ₹40,000/month.
-Wife demanded ₹2 lakh/month for child support; herself… pic.twitter.com/aPRnMmHKR1

— The News Index (@thenewsindex) December 10, 2024

The Email Sent To The NGO

The first incident that was reported was when Atul emailed the men’s rights NGO that works on domestic violence cases late on Sunday night. In an email, Atul mentioned his plan to commit suicide and because of this, the respective NGO workers immediately informed the police. Based on the information shared by the NGO, the police visited his apartment, broke down the wall, and saw his body.

His brother Bikas Kumar filed a case and brought the matter to the attention of the police afterward, naming the wife and her family for abetment to suicide, and consequently, kindled the discussions around the possible abuse of the human rights mechanisms such as Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code which pertains to cruelty against women in marital relationships.

In another case, a technology engineer from Bengaluru also had almost the same story and moved to the extreme measure of committing suicide after being dragged through over 120 court cases in two years. He left behind a 40-page note and a video explaining the immense pressure he faced from his wife’s family.

The suicide note stated the extent of mental suffering he went through and accused the judiciary system of being his only way of safety which ignited some protests by human rights defenders and his relatives to ensure the prosecution of the dowry harassment cases is thorough enough not to give rise to a potential system abuse.

The Role of Dowry Laws

Dowry harassment laws, especially Section 498A of the IPC, were used in a relationship to protect women from cruelty and exploitation. Nevertheless, a number of cases have shown that, in essence, these laws are sometimes used as weapons against the innocent who are being targeted and their families. The downside of this unfair treatment is huge and includes:

• Emotional and Mental Health Impact 

The men wrongly accused in such cases are the victims of health-degrading situations like social stigma, job loss, and living in isolation. Quite a few of them have gone into a deep depression and some took the desperate step of suicide.

• Legal and Financial Strain

The very prolonged and unbearable legal proceedings together with the depletion of funds heavily burden the accused and their families.

• Family Disintegration 

The abuse of the flaw in the law can cause a family to fall apart, which is one of the serious consequences of divorce.

Supreme Court’s Observations

The Supreme Court of India has recognized the misuse of dowry laws and thus the laws for the dowry should be used properly and only after the proper examination of the complaints the legal proceedings should be initiated. 

The court said that non-specific allegations without supporting evidence should not make the case criminal. The principle here is to save the ones who are the victims in actuality along with the prevention of being harassed by innocent family members.

It was only two weeks ago when Justice B.V. Nagarathna and Justice N. Kotiswar Singh made the remark that, “The law should not become a tool for arm-twisting.” Their observations stress the importance of having a balance in the aspect of the protection of women and having safeguards for the people who might be the victims of false accusations.

Advocacy for Men’s Rights

Men’s rights activists have been assertively speaking up about the need for legal reforms to deal with the staggering number of cases of false accusations. Organizations promoting men’s mental health and rights point out the necessity of:

• Legal safeguards 

Making the provision for penalties for those who abuse the system through false reporting of cases to dissuade its use.

• Counseling and Mediation

Suggesting alternative conflict-resolution methods family members can use to resolve marital disagreements.

• Mental Health Support 

Provision of counseling and support groups for men who are victims of bullying and suffer emotional distress.

• Judicial Reforms 

Only fast and fair trials can then guarantee no lengthy, drawn-out court proceedings.

Mental Health and Suicide Prevention

The high frequency of suicides associated with marital discord and dowry harassment is an obvious indication of the need for psychological interventions. Reinforcing mental health in getting people in distress to reach out to counselors rather than thinking about them being judged.

• Awareness Campaigns 

Informing the public about mental health and the necessity of getting medical help.

• Support System 

Inviting parents and communities to discuss and come to the discovery of early cases of the sick.

• Accessible Counseling

Warmth and closeness must also show the way through mental health services which are cheaper and easy to access even further for resolving marital problems and legal cases.

The Final Note

The tragic stories of individuals like Subhash Atul highlight the urgent need for a balanced and fair legal system that protects genuine victims while preventing misuse. As a society, we must advocate for judicial reforms, mental health support, and a culture of empathy to address these pressing issues.

These incidents serve as a somber reminder of the profound impact of legal and social dynamics on individual lives. It is time to work collectively toward a system that upholds justice, safeguards mental well-being, and fosters harmony within families.