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Kozhikode is in deep shock and grief after the sudden death of 40-year-old Deepak U, a native of Govindapuram. Deepak died by suicide after a video shared on social media accused him of sexually harassing a woman on a bus. His family says he was innocent and could not bear the mental pressure caused by the public allegations and online abuse.

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Deepak’s parents, relatives, and close friends have now spoken out, saying the tragedy should never happen to any other family.

Father says Deepak could not handle the public shame

Deepak’s father, Choyi, told Asianet News that his son was a quiet and decent person who never created problems for anyone. He said Deepak was deeply disturbed after the allegation began spreading on social media.

According to Choyi, Deepak returned home from Kannur in a very disturbed state. His mother asked him what was wrong, but he did not explain anything and said it was nothing. The family later realised how much mental pain he was carrying inside.

The father said they were not even aware of the viral video that such a strong social media campaign was going on against their son at that time.

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'What happened to my child should not happen to anyone'

Choyi said the family only came to know about the viral video and the online comments after Deepak’s death. He described the situation as unbearable for any parent.

“What happened to my child should not happen to anyone else,” he said with pain.

The family strongly believes that Deepak was a victim of public character assassination through social media. They said the video damaged his name and dignity before any proper enquiry could take place.

A close relative, Saneesh, said Deepak had called him on the morning before his death and asked to meet him. Saneesh said Deepak usually shared everything with him openly.

“He talked to me about everything. We were supposed to meet on Sunday,” Saneesh said.

He added that he had no idea that Deepak was facing such a serious situation. “I did not know it was such an incident,” he said, expressing regret that he could not understand Deepak’s mental state in time.

Family was planning legal action

According to the family, Deepak had even thought about filing a defamation case after the video went viral. However, before any legal step could be taken, the tragedy occurred.

The family has now made it clear that they will approach a lawyer and take legal action against the woman who shared the video. Relatives said they are ready to go to any extent to get justice for Deepak.

How Deepak was found at home

Deepak was found dead at his house in Govindapuram early in the morning. At the time, only his parents were at home. When he did not respond to repeated calls, neighbours were informed. They forced open the door and found him hanging inside the room.

Deepak was working as a sales manager at a textile shop in Kozhikode and often travelled for work.

Police said the alleged incident took place in Payyannur, during a bus journey from the railway station to the bus stand. The video received more than 20 lakh views and led to heavy online reactions.

The Kozhikode Medical College police have registered a case of unnatural death and started an investigation. Officials said all aspects, including the viral video and the events leading to Deepak’s death, are being examined. The investigation is ongoing.