Two Nepalese women allegedly die by suicide in Bengaluru amid family pressure

Two Nepalese women allegedly died by suicide in Bengaluru’s Yelahanka after families separated them and opposed their relationship, police said. Preliminary investigation indicated social pressure and marriage expectations may have contributed to their deaths. Police are recording statements and gathering evidence

Bengaluru: Two young women from Nepal allegedly died by suicide in Bengaluru’s Yelahanka after they were prevented from living together, with preliminary police investigations indicating that the two were in a relationship and felt they had no future together due to social and family pressure, police said on Friday.

According to police, the preliminary investigations revealed that the deceased, identified as Sirjana (22) and Rita (23), were relatives who had grown up together in Nepal. Investigators said the two studied together and had been inseparable since childhood. Over the years, they fell in love, but their relationship allegedly drew criticism from people in their native village, where they were frequently taunted and pressured over their closeness.

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Police said that, hoping to separate them, their relatives brought both women to Bengaluru about a month ago. However, instead of allowing them to stay together, the families allegedly kept them in different localities. Rita was staying in Fraser Town, while Sirjana was accommodated in Jakkur, several kilometres away.

Despite the separation, the two reportedly continued meeting three to four times a week, often gathering for lunch at a relative’s residence. During these meetings, family members allegedly discussed plans to arrange marriages for both women with men and told them that society would never accept them living together as partners.

According to preliminary findings, the emotional distress caused by the separation, combined with the pressure to marry and social disapproval of their relationship, allegedly drove the two women to take the extreme step. The bodies of the two women were found hanging from a tree opposite Kisar Hotel in Shivanahalli on Jakkur Road in Yelahanka on Thursday.

The deceased were initially identified as Sirjana (24), daughter of Johare, and Rita (24), daughter of Kamal Singh, both natives of Nepal. Police are verifying their exact ages and other personal details as part of the investigation.

According to police, the women had arrived in Bengaluru from Nepal about a month ago and were staying at the residence of Sirjana’s brother in Yelahanka before they were shifted to separate locations. The incident came to light when passersby noticed the bodies hanging from the tree and alerted the police. Officers from the Yelahanka Police Station rushed to the spot, conducted a preliminary inspection, and shifted the bodies for post-mortem examination.

A case has been registered, and further investigation is underway. Police are recording statements from family members and relatives to establish the sequence of events and ascertain the circumstances that led to the deaths. Investigators said the findings regarding the women’s relationship and the alleged family opposition are based on the preliminary inquiry, and further evidence is being collected.