‘Go hang yourself’ not necessarily abetment of suicide: Karnataka HC

The recent ruling stemmed from a petition involving allegations of abetment of suicide against a man in connection with the death of a priest in a church in Udupi in coastal Karnataka.

The petitioner was accused of triggering the priest’s suicide by allegedly urging him to “go hang himself” during a conversation about the priest’s alleged relationship with the petitioner’s wife. The defence counsel argued that the statement was made out of anguish upon discovering the alleged affair, and the priest’s decision to end his life was influenced by the affair becoming known to others, rather than solely by the accused’s words.

The opposing counsel contended that the priest took his own life due to the accused’s threatening language about exposing the affair. However, the single judge bench, drawing on precedents set by the Supreme Court, emphasised that such statements alone might not constitute abetment to suicide.

The court acknowledged the multifaceted reasons behind the priest’s suicide, including the alleged illicit relationship he had despite his role as a father and priest. Recognising the complexities of human psychology, the court underscored the challenge of deciphering the human mind and declined to categorise the accused’s statement as abetment to suicide.

Consequently, the court quashed the case, emphasising the intricate nature of human behaviour and the inability to fully unravel the motivations behind such tragic incidents.