Maharashtra Shocker: 19-Year-Old Boy Dies By Suicide In Sangli; Mother Alleges Pressure To Convert His Religion

Maharashtra: A 19-year-old man died by suicide at his residence in the Khanbhag area of Sangli, Maharashtra, sparking an investigation into allegations of forced religious conversion. 

The deceased, identified as Durvank Pramod Shevale, was found dead in his bedroom on June 25.

Following a complaint lodged by the youth's mother, Bharati Shevale, the Sangli City Police have registered a case of abetment of suicide against two individuals: a 15-year-old minor girl from Kolhapur and her associate, Sahil Raju Bagwan. The police have arrested Bagwan since then.

According to preliminary investigation details, Durvank had been working at a private firm in Pune but frequently returned to Sangli. 

Investigators revealed that he had entered into a relationship with the minor girl, who regularly visited a relative residing in his neighbourhood.

In her statement to the police, Bharati Shevale alleged that her son was facing immense mental distress due to pressure regarding his relationship. 

She asserted that both the girl and Sahil Bagwan were demanding that Durvank convert to their religion as a strict condition for marriage.

"My son fell in love with a Muslim girl. Sahil Bagwan and the girl pressured him to convert to their religion," Bharati Shevale stated in her complaint. 

"My son had returned home from Pune on the 23rd. Later, he went to his bedroom, received a phone call, and then he committed suicide. All I want is for my son to get justice; he was my only son."

The incident came to light when Durvank locked himself in his room on the morning of June 25. When his mother checked on him later that afternoon, she found him unresponsive. 

Following the tragedy, the family accessed Durvank's mobile phone with the help of a neighbour, discovering extensive chat logs on Instagram and other social media platforms.

The authorities have seized the mobile phones of both the deceased and the accused for forensic analysis. 

While a 12-second video recorded by Durvank before his death confirms his intent to end his life, officials noted it does not explicitly state the underlying motive. 

However, police confirmed that digital communication logs indicate discussions surrounding religion.

Police Inspector Arun Sugavkar, who is leading the investigation, confirmed the updates, stating, “The case has been registered based on the complaint filed by the deceased's mother. It has been registered against two accused individuals, and Sahil Bagwan has been arrested.”

"Chats between the accused and the deceased have been recovered, in which the accused urged the deceased to convert to their religion. The investigation is ongoing."

The Sangli City Police have registered the case under Sections 108 (abetment of suicide) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). 

Cyber police personnel have also been engaged to retrieve full data archives from the messaging applications to establish the sequence of events leading up to June 25.

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