Gujarat suicide incident video shared with false narrative of financial crunch during lock down
A video is going viral on social media of a woman and her two children who seem to have committed suicide by hanging in their home. The video has surfaced from Gujarat and has garnered several views.
Several people have shared the video with a narrative that states that the woman killed herself and her children due to starvation from hunger as they were going through a financial crisis owing to the current lock down.
Facebook user Mohd Samim posted the video on 8th May, 2020 claiming that the woman was forced to take such a step as she had no money to feed her children owing to the lock down.
The caption along with video, which has been written in Hindi reads: ये वीडियो #गुजरात मोरबीमा की बताई जा रही है #नेपाली फैमिली है यहां काम करने आए थे #Lockdown के दौरान काफी दिनों तक कुछ खाना नहीं मिला भूख से परेशान होकर खाने पीने की दिक्कत पैसों की दिक्कत के कारण फांसी लगाकर आत्महत्या करली
Translation: This video is allegedly from Gujarat’s Morbi, where a Nepali family had recently shifted to look for work. Due to the lock down, they couldnt get anything to eat for several days. After facing issues due to the lack of money and food, they committed suicide from hanging.
Another user has shared the same video with a slightly different narrative, claiming that it is from Ahmedabad’s Danilimbda area.
The caption, which is Gujarati reads, અમદાવાદ ના દાણીલીમડા નું છે પરિવાર મિત્રો ટ્રાન્જેક્શન નહિ થાય to ચાલશે પણ આપડી આજુ બાજુ આવું નાથાય તે જોજોખીસા ના 500રૂપિયા આપી દેજો પણ આવું નાથવા દેતા ભૂખ ના મારે અમદાવાદ નું છે અત્યારે લોકો ભાડું પણ માગે છે તૈયારે મંજબુરી માં આ કરવું પડે છે
Translation: The family belongs to Danilimda from Ahmedabad. It is okay if you cant transact money to friends and family, but kindly make sure that you donate atleast Rs. 500 to the needy around you, so that nobody has to take such a step. People are even asking for rent in Ahmedabad, forcing them to take such steps.
TRUTH
According to this Time of India report, published on 3rd May, 2020, the woman who has been identified as Tulsi Nepali, hanged herself and her two daughters, Srijana aged 5 years and Puja aged 9 months in their rented home. She took this step “in a fit of rage after she suspected her husband of having an extra marital affair”, according to the preliminary investigation conducted by the police. The incident took place in Gujarat’s Morbi City, where the husband Vishnu had been working as a gym instructor. He had allegedly been working out on the terrace when the incident took place. The family had moved to Morbi just five months ago.
A local website, Morbi Update also reported on the incident on 3rd May, 2020. According to the report, “The police’s preliminary investigation has revealed that the husband was very active on social media and the wife had taken the step on suspicion of him having an extra marital affair. An in-depth investigation of the manner is currently underway.” The report also stated that the husband has filed a complaint with the police and further action in the matter is being taken.
Further, this report by News 18 Gujrati contains the same visuals as the video that is going viral on social media and also contains information that is the same as what is mentioned in the local and TOI reports.
Image in the news report Screenshot from viral video
The claim that the woman in the video killed her children and herself due to financial crisis during the lock down is hence false, according to news reports.
Journalism Student.
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