HIV positive man dies by suicide in Kerala

His relatives said he was suffering from depression for many weeks and later hung himself from a tree. His sister died after her condition deteriorated in 2008.

A young man from south Kerala, who was on the posters of the fight against AIDS with his HIV-positive sister for many years, allegedly died by suicide on Saturday, police said.

A young man from south Kerala who was HIV positive died by suicide on Saturday. (HT PHOTO.)

He was the last survivor of a family which fought stigma against the disease valiantly and their lonely fight attracted national attention. When late Union minister Sushma Swaraj visited the state capital in 2003 she embraced both children at a function in the Press Club saying “these photos will talk”.

Later, the state government granted them free treatment and sustenance allowance and help poured in from many other quarters.

His relatives said he was suffering from depression for many weeks and later hung himself from a tree. His sister died after her condition deteriorated in 2008 and later his grandmother also died and he was living with one of his relatives. They said the 26-year-old was upset after his “love affair” with a girl failed. Police also ruled out any foul play and said details will be available only after the post-mortem.

Initially the family kept the information confidential but later it leaked out and the children were thrown out of their school and local church. Later both children along with their grandparents staged a protest outside their school and the government intervened to ensure their education. Their plight attracted national attention then and the government also used their photos to remove stigma against the disease. The state later started a campaign to de-stigmatise the victims and bring them to the mainstream. Many HIV-infected people later came out to disclose their medical status.