Chhattisgarh: Teen Content Creator Dies By Suicide On Instagram Live

The triggering event was witnessed by at least 21 of her followers, one of the whom recorded the live stream. “Her followers can be seen sending her messages asking her to stop, but she did not listen to them,” said a police source. Her parents, who work in Hyderabad, are in shock and have been unable to provide further details.

Followers Felt Helpless

A few locals rushed to her home in Nawagarh town, 150 km from Raipur, but couldnn't do much. Some of her followers called her cousins, who live in a nearby house. The cousins then rushed to her house and broke open the door to enter, police said. They took her to a hospital, where she was declared dead before admission.

The victim had good social media presence and was an avid user. Glimpses of her day to day life could be seen through her account. She has over 1,000 followers on Instagram and had uploaded several reels set to Chhattisgarhi songs. Her last video, however, was about heartbreak. Police are examining her mobile phone for clues to understand her mental state and what led her to take the extreme step.

Social media is a powerful tool and is a major platform for expression for young people. This incident triggered the lack of mental health support teenagers have and also highlighted how social media can further propel the lack of support. Few users noted how traumatising this was for her viewers as well.

Note: If you or a loved one is struggling, seek immediate help. Some suicide prevention helpline numbers in India are 011-23389090 from Sumaitri (Delhi-based), Viswas (Bengaluru-based) 9152987821 and 044-24640050 from Sneha Foundation (Chennai-based).