A tragic sequence of events, beginning with a honeymoon dispute and ending in two suicides, has culminated in the death of a 30-year-old Bengaluru man in a Nagpur hotel. Suraj Shivanna was found hanging in the early hours of Saturday, just two days after his wife, Ganavi, died by suicide following arguments about her pre-marital friendship.
Flight from Bengaluru to a Nagpur Tragedy
Suraj Shivanna, a franchise owner of an online delivery service from Vijayanagar, Bengaluru, was discovered deceased by his 60-year-old mother, Jayanti, around 12:30 am on Saturday in a Sonegaon hotel room. The family had checked into the hotel at 9:30 pm on Friday after a desperate journey from Bengaluru. Traumatized by the suicide of his wife and subsequent legal accusations, Suraj had undertaken a circuitous 1,000 km road journey with a stopover in Hyderabad before reaching Nagpur.
In a further heartbreaking twist, his mother Jayanti, upon finding her son, attempted to end her own life but survived after the noose she used snapped. Her alarm alerted hotel staff and her elder son, Sanjay Shivanna (36), who then lodged a police report. Suraj was rushed to AIIMS, Nagpur, where doctors declared him dead around 3 am. The preliminary report suggests he used a dupatta to hang himself from a ceiling fan.
A Honeymoon Turned Sour and Escalating Threats
The roots of this tragedy lie in Suraj's arranged marriage to Ganavi, an MBA graduate, on October 29 in Bengaluru. Family sources indicate the wedding was lavish, but Ganavi was reportedly reluctant and pressured into the union. The couple's 10-day honeymoon to Sri Lanka turned disastrous within days when disputes arose over Ganavi's pre-marital friendship. The arguments grew so severe that they cut their trip short, returning to Bengaluru after just five days.
Mediation attempts by family members, including brother Sanjay, failed. Ganavi left for her father's home that same night and hours later, died by suicide. Her death triggered immediate backlash from her family, who filed a police case accusing Suraj and his relatives of dowry harassment and abetment to suicide.
Sanjay Shivanna, in conversations, vehemently denied all dowry allegations. "We did not make any demands. We covered all wedding expenses," he stated. He described how the situation escalated rapidly: "Around 30 people stormed our house at Vijayanagar, searching for Suraj... We were traumatised and in fear. We had no option but to escape Bengaluru." This threat, which occurred on December 22, prompted the family's flight to Hyderabad and then Nagpur.
Police Investigations and Coordinated Efforts
The case now involves police forces from two states. While the Nagpur police are investigating the circumstances of Suraj's death and awaiting the autopsy report to rule out foul play, the Bengaluru police had already initiated action based on the dowry harassment FIR filed by Ganavi's family. The two units are now coordinating their investigations.
Sanjay's account paints a picture of a man overwhelmed by circumstance. "My brother was scared and apologetic," he said, referring to Suraj's state of mind after the allegations and threats. The family's attempt to find refuge far from Bengaluru ended in the ultimate tragedy, leaving a mother grieving for both her son and daughter-in-law, and two families shattered by loss and legal entanglements.
