In an incident bearing a striking resemblance to the Atul Subhash case and highlighting the misuse of laws against men in marital disputes, a 33-year-old techie from Uttar Pradesh, Mohit Yadav, has died by suicide, alleging mental harassment by his wife and in-laws.
Yadav recorded a video message before his death, alleging threats and false cases against him by his in-laws and citing the lack of legal protection for men as a key reason behind his decision.
“By the time you get this video, I will be gone from this world. If there was a law for men, maybe I wouldn’t have taken this step. I couldn’t bear the mental torture by my wife and her family. Mom, dad, please forgive me,” Yadav said in the video.
“If I don’t get justice even after my death, then let my ashes be immersed in a drain,” he added.
Wion could not independently verify the authenticity of the video.
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Yadav, a resident of Auraiya district, worked as a field engineer in a cement company.
Yadav had left for Kota but took a halt in Etawah, said his brother Tareen Pratap. The family was shocked when they received his video on their phones on Friday morning.
He had checked into a hotel near the Etawah railway station on Thursday and when he did not leave his room the next morning, the hotel staff got suspicious and found him hanging, said Abhay Nath Tripathi, Superintendent of Police (City).
He and Priya were in a relationship for seven years and got married in 2023.
He said he had not demanded any dowry when they got married, but his wife threatened to file false cases against his family members.
Yadav further alleged in the video that Priya was pregnant when she took up a private teaching job in Bihar two months ago, and her mother made her abort the child. His mother-in-law also kept all her jewellery with her, he claimed.
“My wife threatened me that if I didn’t register my house and property in her name, she would implicate my family in a dowry case. Her father, Manoj Kumar, filed a false complaint, and her brother threatened to kill me,” Yadav said in the video.
Since then, he claimed his wife started fighting with him every day and that her family supported her.
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Priya Yadav and her family are yet to make a statement on the incident and accusations by Yadav.
In December 2024, Atul Subhash, a 34-year-old techie in Bengaluru, died by suicide in his apartment. He left behind a 24-page note and a video message, in which he accused his wife and in-laws of relentless harassment. He alleged they had filed eight false police complaints against him and were demanding Rs 3 crore to settle a divorce, along with an additional Rs 30 lakh for access to his son.
Following a complaint lodged by Atul’s younger brother, Bikas Modi, the three accused were arrested.
There is a growing demand by men’s rights activists for a law protecting men against false charges by women.
Get help & support for suicide
If you or someone you know wants help for mental well-being, don’t hesitate to talk to a professional. You can contact local authorities and also encourage the person to contact a suicide prevention hotline using the information in the above link. WION is not associated with any of these organisations and does not make any recommendations.