‘Throw my ashes in the drain’: Engineer dies by suicide, alleges harassment by wife, in-laws

(Photo: NDTV)

A 33-year-old engineer from Etawah, Uttar Pradesh, has died by suicide after accusing his wife and in-laws of harassment. Mohit Yadav recorded a video in which he alleged that his in-laws had threatened him and filed false cases against him, reported NDTV. He expressed his despair, stating, "If I don't get justice even after my death, throw my ashes into the drain."

Yadav had checked into the Jolly Hotel near the Etawah railway station on Thursday. He did not leave his room the following morning. The hotel staff discovered him hanging in the evening, NDTV reoprted quoting Abhay Nath Tripathi, Superintendent of Police (City).

A resident of Auraiya district, Yadav worked as a field engineer for a cement company. He had been in a relationship with Priya, his wife, for seven years before they married in 2023.

Yadav alleged in the video that Priya was pregnant when she secured a private teaching job in Bihar two months ago, but her mother forced her to have an abortion. He also claimed that Priya’s mother took all her jewelry. Yadav stated that he did not demand a dowry at the time of their marriage, but his wife threatened to file false cases against his family if he did not register his house and property in her name. He mentioned that her father, Manoj Kumar, filed a false complaint against him, and her brother threatened to kill him. Since then, he claimed that Priya started arguing with him daily, with her family supporting her.

In the video, Yadav apologized to his parents and urged them to throw his ashes into the drain if he did not receive justice after his death. He also reflected on the lack of legal protections for men against false charges filed by women, stating, "By the time you get this video, I will be gone from this world. I wouldn’t have taken this step if there were a law for men. I couldn't tolerate the harassment from my wife and her family."

Yadav had originally planned to travel to Kota but made a stop in Etawah. His brother, Tareen Pratap, reported that the family was shocked when they received his video on Friday morning.

A comment from Priya Yadav and her family is pending.

This incident highlights the increasing calls for legal protections for men against false accusations by women. A series of similar cases, including the suicide of Atul Subhash, a techie in Bengaluru who accused his wife of filing false charges against him, have raised alarm among men’s rights activists in recent years.