Man Shoots Himself In The Head After Girlfriend’s Father Tells Him To Prove His Love By Committing Suicide

A member of the youth division of India’s Bharatiya Janata Party is fighting for his life after reportedly shooting himself in the head on Tuesday night, as he was allegedly asked by the father of his longtime girlfriend to prove his love for the woman “by killing himself.”

Citing police reports, the Hindustan Times wrote that Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) vice-president Atul Lokhande went to his girlfriend’s house in Bhopal on Tuesday evening at around 9:30 p.m., shortly after he posted on Facebook that he was told by the woman’s father to prove that he loves her by taking his own life. According to the post, the father of Lokhande’s girlfriend allegedly allowed the young man to marry his daughter if he survived his suicide attempt, and added that if Lokhande didn’t survive, he and his girlfriend could reunite once they meet each other again after reincarnation.

“I won’t be able to live without you, therefore, I am going,” Atul Lokhande continued, as quoted by NDTV.

“Many people fall in love, but no one love you like I do… I can’t forget you…Truth is that I don’t want to forget you… Because you are mine. I will love you forever… Till I die and even after that… All lovers give their heart, but only I will give my life.”

NDTV added further details on the alleged incident, writing that the 30-year-old Lokhande and his girlfriend’s father had a “heated argument” about the couple’s relationship before Lokhande exited the woman’s house and shot himself in the head. He claimed to have been in a relationship with his 27-year-old girlfriend for the past 13 years and had posted close to 40 photos of himself and his girlfriend on Facebook. Furthermore, Lokhande also made references to marriages forbidden by Indian culture in another social media post quoted by the publication.

“The more inter-caste and inter-religious marriages happen, the more powerful India will become,” Lokhande reportedly wrote.

"Die to prove love", her father told youth BJP leader. He shot himself https://t.co/pZ3RVwPc1c pic.twitter.com/nZEmpbZStg

— NDTV (@ndtv) July 4, 2018

Separately, the International Business Times reported that Lokhande’s girlfriend was planning to end their relationship due to his inability to find a decent job and that she and her family had both rejected his marriage proposal.

According to the Hindustan Times, Atul Lokhande was recently declared brain dead by doctors and placed on a ventilator. The publication further noted that Lokhande’s loved ones are “angry” with his girlfriend’s family, and want them to be charged with abetment to suicide for their alleged role in the incident.