In a heart-wrenching tragedy that underscores the devastating power of public perception and the fragile line between identity and accusation, a 51-year-old man from Siliguri committed suicide after enduring relentless social stigma— simply because his name bore a haunting resemblance to that of an alleged child rapist from the same neighbourhood.
According to the grieving family, the deceased — who lived a quiet, unassuming life — had been spiralling into despair over the past few weeks. The cause— a cruel coincidence. His name was identical to that of a man from Mathabhanga, who had been accused of sexually assaulting a minor girl over an extended period. The accused, who briefly lived in the same Siliguri locality before fleeing, was later arrested by police.
But the damage was already done.
As whispers turned into accusations and side glances into suspicion, the 51-year-old found himself at the mercy of relentless neighbourhood gossip. The similarities in name, age and address led many to confuse him with the actual perpetrator. In a community inflamed by outrage, facts faded and assumptions flourished.
Also read: Massive fire guts 1,300 shops in Kolkata; Mamata offers aid
The situation escalated last Saturday night when a mob vandalised the house where the real accused once lived. Although the accused had already fled to Mathabhanga, the fury of the crowd echoed through the narrow lanes of the neighborhood. The deceased, living nearby, became an unintended target of that rage—mocked, maligned and ostracised.
The torment didn’t end there. The following Sunday, residents reported renewed threats from an unnamed local organisation. The man, unable to bear the humiliation, reportedly broke down completely.
His family, still reeling from the shock, described the tragic moment they found him. “We had stepped out. When we returned home around 4 p.m on Monday, the house was quiet. One room’s door was shut. We forced it open and found him hanging by a rope,” a relative recounted, their voice trembling.
His body was sent to North Bengal Medical College and Hospital for postmortem. A police picket has since been deployed in the area to prevent further unrest.
“This is an unimaginable tragedy— he was not guilty of anything except sharing a name,” said a local resident, struggling to hold back tears. “It’s as if society handed him the noose.”
The local councilor confirmed that police are actively investigating the circumstances leading to the suicide. Meanwhile, the death has sparked intense introspection within the community over the dangers of mob mentality, name-based profiling and unchecked rumor-mongering.
In the end, a man lost his life—not to crime, but to the crushing weight of false perception. His name, once ordinary, became a curse he could not escape.
Follow us
