LUCKNOW: A 25-year-old event manager tied a noose around his neck and allegedly killed himself by hanging from a ceiling fan at his Varanasi home as his girlfriend watched helplessly on a webcam that he had left on. Cyber cops, acting on a complaint by Ankit Srivastava’s parents, confirmed he was on a webcam conversation just before he committed suicide that may have followed an argument.

According to family members, the mother found her son’s body hanging on Saturday in his bedroom. The webcam on his personal computer was switched on and his broken mobile phone was on the floor. His parents suspect that Ankit smashed his cellphone in anger before taking the extreme step.

Relatives also told police Ankit chatted with the girl every night and was planning to marry her in the face of resistance from her family.

The incident occurred on Saturday but came to light on Monday when police filed an FIR against the girl under Section 306 of the IPC (abetting suicide). The police have engaged cyber crime experts to verify allegations of `live suicide'. It is also taking legal opinion before interrogating the girl.

Varanasi’s Senior Superintendent of Police B D Paulson said that the investigation was still on to find the reason for Ankit killing himself. It appeared that the youth was in love with the girl and there was evidence that he was chatting with the girl that night, he said.

Police also said Ankit, a resident of Vinayaka Kolhua area, had attempted suicide earlier as well and his mother described him as short-tempered. His mother is a schoolteacher and father a retired bank employee. His body has been sent for post-mortem.

The victim's mother Indubala said her son had sent a message to the girl that he will kill himself. “My heartbroken son thought that the girl will stop him from killing himself but she didn't,” she told reporters. The mother confirmed that girl's family did not want her to marry Ankit.

Though the police has registered FIR against the girl, officers aren’t contemplating acting on it. “Even it comes out that the incident occurred during live video chat, its hard to find out whether the girlfriend tried to stop Ankit from committing suicide or not. How can you punish a person for chatting with someone,” said an officer.

Section 306 carries imprisonment for upto 10 years.

Past instances

Adrian Rowland, the 53-year-old boyfriend of one Julie Zalinski from Reading, UK, slashed his throat and wrists with a broken bottle at his rented home in Delhi's Green Park on November 27, 2011.

Describing the incident during an inquest, Zalinski said she could only watch helplessly for more than 10 hours as Rowland died from his wounds. She alerted the UK police who managed to contact the local authorities in Delhi, but they were unable to help Rowland after he refused to open his front door.

The inquest heard that laws in India prevented the police and paramedics from smashing their way into a flat. Rowland slowly bled to death as Zalinski begged him to get help.

International instances

1. The UK recorded an online suicide in March 2007, when 42-year-old Kevin Whitrick hanged himself while others watched. According to the BBC, some onlookers tried to stop him while others urged him on.

2. November 21, 2008: Abraham Briggs, a Florida teenager who used a webcam to live-stream his suicide was reportedly encouraged by other people on the website.

