Attacked, shamed by moral police on V-Day, young man kills self in Kerala

Kochi: A 23-year-old man, who was filmed and shamed by moral vigilantes on Valentines Day committed suicide at his home in Kerala's Palakkad district on Thursday.

The youth, Aneesh, was found hanging from a tree behind his house late last evening, reports said.

A suicide note recovered from the crime scene held two persons responsible for his death. A case has been registered against the two persons mentioned in the note, under section 306 of IPC (Abetment of Suicide).

According to an NDTV report, the man was with a female friend at a beach in Kollam, when a group of five men approached them and grilled them with a vulgar line of questioning.

Apparently, the woman was relieving herself in the bushes as there was no public toilet around. The gang attempted to attack her. The young man who attempted to defend her was also thrashed by the gang.

The entire episode was videotaped and was shared on social media.

The incidence triggered outrage in the state, prompting an assurance from the Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. "Such criminal activities will not be tolerated in Kerala," he said. The men were eventually arrested after the couple approached the police.

Kerala has off late witnessed a hike in moral policing cases. Recently a Thiruvananthapuram based couple live streamed harassment by police officers on Facebook.