16-year-olds in Bengal commit suicide fearing opposition to their wedding plans

They planned to tie the knot on Tuesday.

Fearing that their relationship will not receive parental approval, a teenage girl and her lover committed suicide at Bagundi village in Murshidabad barely a day before Valentine’s Day.

Sabnur Khatun and Rinku Sheikh, both 16, planned to tie the knot on Valentine’s Day. They ended up committing suicide the day before. (HT Photo)

The bodies were found hanging from a tree in the locality on Monday morning.

Sources said the 16-year-old children – both students of Benipur High School – were in love, and wanted to be wedded. However, the two believed their parents will not allow them to take such a step until they were of marriageable age.

“Everyone in our class was aware of their relationship. They initially planned to tie the knot on Valentine’s Day, keeping their relatives in the dark. However, they later understood that marrying at that age wouldn’t be possible without their parents’ consent. So they decided to end their lives,” said a common friend.

An uncle of the boy said he was last seen in his room around 8:30 pm on Sunday. “While heading out, he said he was going to play carrom with some friends. He did not return home that night, and the following morning, we found both of them hanging from the tree,” he added.

Both the families denied having any knowledge about the relationship. “They were in their teens. It must have been an impulsive decision,” the girl’s uncle claimed.

Rabi Malakar, officer-in-charge of Ranitala police station, said the bodies have been sent for an autopsy to confirm the cause of death.