Bangalore: The heart-wrenching suicide of Atul Subhash, a young and talented techie from Bangalore, has shaken the city to its core. His tragic decision to end his life wasn’t just the result of personal pain—it was the culmination of years of relentless harassment, extortion, and betrayal by those he trusted and a legal system that failed him at every step.
Atul left behind a 24-page suicide note and an 80-minute video, documenting the horrors he faced. His words are a haunting cry for help—a plea for justice that came too late.
For two agonizing years, Atul was dragged through the courts, attending 120 hearings and traveling over 2,000 kilometers, just to defend himself against nine police cases filed by his wife. These cases, which he claimed were baseless, drained him of his time, money, and mental health. Despite his wife being employed, the courts ordered him to pay her a staggering ₹40,000 per month in maintenance. Adding to his suffering, her family demanded a ₹3 crore settlement, a sum he could never hope to afford.
The final blow came when a family court judge allegedly demanded ₹5 lakhs in bribes to expedite the case. The very institution meant to deliver justice turned into yet another source of exploitation. In his final note, Atul lamented how the system, instead of protecting him, had become his tormentor.
Atul’s suicide is a tragic reflection of the imbalance in India’s gender laws. While these laws aim to protect women from abuse, they often leave men like Atul vulnerable to misuse. He was not just a man fighting legal battles—he was a son, a friend, and a human being begging for fairness in a system that had abandoned him.
Atul’s note describes the emotional and psychological toll of the ordeal. He spoke of being “trapped in a nightmare”, pushed to the edge by the constant harassment and threats from his wife and her mother, who he claimed instigated him to take his own life. His words are filled with despair, but also with a desperate hope that his death might bring attention to the plight of countless others suffering in silence.
Atul’s death has left his family and friends devastated. His parents, once proud of their hardworking son, are now broken by a grief no parent should endure.
His story has sparked an outpouring of anger and sorrow on social media, with many questioning the fairness of laws that can be weaponized to destroy innocent lives. Advocates are demanding urgent reforms to protect men from being driven to such extremes.
Atul’s death is more than a personal tragedy; it is a failure of our society, our laws, and our judiciary. His story must not be forgotten. It is a plea to lawmakers, judges, and every citizen to demand a system that ensures justice for all—regardless of gender.