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Kerala man’s suicide after viral bus video: Police book woman for abetment

The State Human Rights Commission has asked the North Kerala DIG to probe the matter and sought a report within a week

2 min readThiruvanananthapuramJan 20, 2026 07:53 AM IST

Kerala man’s suicide after viral video: Police book woman in abetment case

According to police, a 42-year-old native of Kozhikode district died by suicide after a woman shared a video on social media in which he was accused of sexual misconduct during a bus journey.

A day after a Kerala man died by suicide after he was allegedly insulted in a video, police on Monday booked a woman on charges of abetting suicide. The State Human Rights Commission also asked the North Kerala DIG to probe the matter and sought a report within a week.

According to police, a 42-year-old native of Kozhikode district died by suicide after a woman shared a video on social media in which he was accused of sexual misconduct during a bus journey.

The death of the man, the lone breadwinner of his family, caused outrage in Kerala.

Earlier, Kozhikode police had registered a case of unnatural death in connection with the man’s suicide. On Monday, a new case under section 108 (abetting suicide) of the BNS was registered, listing the woman who posted the video as the accused.

Senior BJP leader and former Goa Governor P S Sreedharan Pillai was among those who visited the parents of the deceased.

The man’s relatives and friends had said that the video, which had gone viral, shattered him. After his death, the woman who made the video told reporters, “While travelling by bus in Payyannur (in Kannur district), I realised that a woman standing in front of the man was very uncomfortable. He was standing very close. He had seen me recording a selfie video. He stood very cool for a while. Later, when the rush in the bus eased, he again tried to stand close to me, and I recorded the incident again. I edited both videos and posted them as a single one.”

Shaju Philip

Shaju Philip is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, where he leads the publication's coverage from Kerala. With over 25 years of experience in mainstream journalism, he is one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political, religious, and developmental landscape of South India. Expertise, Experience, and Authority Decades of Regional Specialization: Shaju has spent more than two decades documenting the "Kerala Model" of development, its complex communal dynamics, and its high-stakes political environment. Key Coverage Beats: His extensive reporting portfolio includes: Political & Governance Analysis: In-depth tracking of the LDF and UDF coalitions, the growth of the BJP in the state, and the intricate workings of the Kerala administration. Crime & Investigative Journalism: Noted for his coverage of high-profile cases such as the gold smuggling probe, political killings, and the state’s counter-terrorism efforts regarding radicalization modules. Crisis Management: He has led ground-level reporting during major regional crises, including the devastating 2018 floods, the Nipah virus outbreaks, and the Covid-19 pandemic response. ... Read More

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