A 19-year-old student from Patna shot himself in his bedroom while video-conferencing with his girlfriend on WhatsApp, in the early hours of Monday, 29 January, Hindustan Times reported.
Akash Kumar alias Bunty, apparently took the drastic step when his girlfriend asked for more time to convince her parents for their marriage.
This is the second such case of a person killing himself on live video in Bihar. The state, according to the Government of India survey 2016, has 10.29 million internet users, the ninth highest among Indian states. Back in 2015, a Patna-based college student hung himself from a ceiling fan and live-streamed it.
When we recovered Bunty’s cell phone and checked, we were shocked to discover that he was video chatting with his girlfriend live as he shot himself. His girlfriend also confirmed that they were video chatting and had an argument when Bunty suddenly pulled out a gun and shot himself.Ramakant Prasad, Deputy Superintendent of Police (Phulwarisharif), to Hindustan Times
The couple was talking late on Sunday night and the shot was fired around 3 am on Monday, police told HT.
During their chat, Bunty kept insisting that the girl give her consent to marry him, and when she sought more time, he threatened to end his life, police said.
She tried her best to convince and pacify him but he took the extreme step and ended his life.Ramakant Prasad to HT
An investigating officer, quoting the girl, said that when she saw Bunty pull the gun, she called one of his close relatives and pleaded with her to prevent him from taking any drastic step, but before anyone could intervene, he put the gun to his temple and pulled the trigger.
According to HT, his relatives have said that it was an accident. Sources close to the family said that the girl at one time was able to convince Bunty to remove the magazine from the pistol but he accidentally pressed the trigger and the bullet remaining in the chamber hit him in the head.
Police confiscated the pistol and magazine from Bunty’s room and are investigating how he got it.
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