BENGALURU: Reeling from his wife’s suicide, facing a dowry harassment case and alleged public intimidation, a 30-year-old Bengaluru resident died by suicide in a Nagpur hotel after a desperate 1,000km road journey spanning Karnataka, Telangana and Maharashtra. Suraj Shivanna, a franchise owner of an online delivery service in Vijayanagar, Bengaluru, was found hanging in his hotel room shortly after midnight on Saturday. His 60-year-old mother, Jayanti, who discovered him around 12.30am, attempted suicide in shock but survived after the noose snapped. The family had checked into the hotel, located within Sonegaon police station limits, around 9.30pm on Friday after fleeing Bengaluru. Jayanti raised an alarm after her failed attempt, alerting hotel staff and Suraj’s elder brother, Sanjay Shivanna (36), who later lodged a police complaint. Suraj was rushed to AIIMS Nagpur, where doctors declared him dead around 3am. According to the FIR, Suraj used a dupatta to hang himself from the ceiling fan. Sanjay told police the family had been forced to leave Bengaluru following alleged threats and intimidation by Suraj’s in-laws after the suicide of his wife, Ganavi. “Around 30 people came to our house in Vijayanagar looking for Suraj after an FIR was registered against him for dowry harassment. We were terrified. There was no option but to escape,” Sanjay said. The family drove to Hyderabad on December 25 and reached Nagpur late the next night. Suraj had married Ganavi, an MBA graduate, in an arranged marriage on October 29 in Bengaluru. Family sources said the wedding was lavish, but Ganavi was reportedly reluctant and under pressure to marry. The couple left for a 10-day honeymoon to Sri Lanka, but returned within five days after disputes erupted over Ganavi’s pre-marital friendship. Family members attempted to mediate after their return, but tensions escalated. Ganavi left for her parental home the same night and died by suicide hours later. Her family subsequently accused Suraj and his relatives of dowry harassment, leading Bengaluru police to register a case. Sanjay denied the allegations. “There was no dowry demand. We bore all wedding expenses. Instead, we began receiving threats. My brother was deeply shaken and apologetic,” he said. Suraj’s post-mortem report is awaited to rule out foul play. Police in Nagpur and Bengaluru are coordinating the investigation.
