A 30-year-old tech firm employee in Agra, India, has died by suicide, leaving behind a video accusing his wife of driving him to the extreme step. The incident bears striking similarities to the death of Atul Subhash in Bengaluru last December, where the techie also ended his life after recording a video alleging harassment by his estranged wife. Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident, including allegations of abuse from both sides, after registering a case of abetment of suicide.
Niketa Mehta, who had approached the Bombay High Court for aborting her first child due to a heart anomaly in the foetus, on Thursday said she had a miscarriage.
An expert committee of doctors, appointed to examine the case had said the foetus has "a fair chance" of having a congenital handicap at birth. A committee of doctors appointed by the J J Hospital dean however stated that "the findings observed do not have substantive significance to resort to termination of pregnancy".
The Supreme Court today issued notice to the Centre on a petition challenging a law prohibiting abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy in case of foetal abnormality.
The government on Monday ruled out amending abortion laws in consideration of cases like that of Niketa Mehta, who wanted to terminate her 26-week pregnancy as the child would be born with a congenital heart defect."As it is today, going by just one case, I do not think the law can be amended," Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss said."We sympathise with her case and would discuss all other avenues," he said.
'In this resurgent India, class is the new caste. We are shaken up only occasionally, and briefly, when a battered, tribal teenager from Jharkhand looks us in the eye from our closet,' says Shekhar Gupta.