Fled Bengaluru under threat, found dead in Nagpur: Groom's final journey after his bride's suicide


The couple got married on October 29 in Bengaluru. (Photo: X)

In a devastating sequence of events, a newlywed couple from Bengaluru has died by suicide within days of each other, culminating in the groom’s death in a Nagpur hotel room early Saturday after his family fled their home city fearing threats.

Suraj Shivanna, 30, was found deceased by his mother, Jayanti, around 12.30 am at a hotel in the Sonegaon police jurisdiction. According to a police report filed by his elder brother, Sanjay Shivanna, Suraj had used a scarf to hang himself from a ceiling fan.

The discovery triggered a suicide attempt by the 60-year-old mother, who survived after the noose she used snapped, TOI reported.

The tragedy marks a grim epilogue to the suicide of Suraj’s wife, Ganavi, just two days prior in Bengaluru. The couple, who had an arranged marriage on October 29, returned early from a troubled honeymoon in Sri Lanka, where disputes over Ganavi’s pre-marital friendship had reportedly arisen.

Sanjay Shivanna recounted that after the couple's return, attempts at mediation were unsuccessful. He said he had tried to broker peace, assuring them the matter would be resolved, but they did not heed his efforts, according to his statements cited by TOI. Following this, Ganavi left for her parental home that night and died by suicide hours later.

Her death led to allegations from her relatives that Suraj and his family had harassed her for dowry and abetted her suicide, which resulted in Bengaluru police filing a case. Sanjay Shivanna firmly denied these accusations, stating that his family had made no demands and had borne all wedding expenses, expressing shock at the allegations.

He further described an atmosphere of intimidation, telling police that around 30 people had stormed their Bengaluru home searching for Suraj, leaving the family traumatised and fearful, with no option but to flee the city. This prompted their circuitous 1,000-kilometre journey by road, which included a stop in Hyderabad on December 25 before they arrived in Nagpur late on Friday night.

They checked into the hotel at approximately 9.30 pm. Just hours later, Suraj was discovered. He was pronounced dead at AIIMS, Nagpur, around 3 am. An autopsy report is awaited to rule out foul play. Police in Nagpur and Bengaluru are now coordinating investigations into the intertwined cases.