Two lovers in India betrothed to marry were found dead Tuesday after they reportedly killed themselves on two separate occasions because they were not allowed to marry until the girl reached 18.
Identified as 20-year-old Shiva and 17-year-old Susmitha, the lovers had been living in Kanukula of Sultanabad when they first met. They were from different castes or class statuses in the country, and so their families refused their union at first, Telangana Today reported.
At some point, when they insisted on getting married, their families filed a police report in order to use authorities to stop them. The police prevented the couple from getting married at the time due to Susmitha’s age as a minor.
Over time, the couple seemingly persuaded their families to give them their blessing provided they would wait until the girl turned 18 before marrying. To ensure their cooperation, Shiva was sent to his grandmother’s home in Huzurabad to prevent him from seeing her, according to the Times of India.
Saddened because he was unable to see his girlfriend, Shiva drank pesticide in an attempt to kill himself. The 20-year-old was brought to a hospital, and stayed there for a few days before succumbing to the poisoning Monday.
Susmitha was reportedly so overwhelmed with grief after learning about the death of her lover that she went to an agricultural well just on the outskirts of the town and jumped to her death.
The police launched investigations into the incidents while their families grieved over their demise.
Teen suicides in India are among the highest in the world, with over 418 teenagers killing themselves daily. Many Indian girls and women are also killing themselves twice as much as men, mainly due to marriage-related problems that are left unaddressed by the country's infrastructure, The Indian Express reported.
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