Online Harassment Allegedly Pushes Karnataka Pharmacist to End Life, 3 Held for Circulating Video
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Bengaluru: Karnataka Police have arrested three persons for allegedly circulating a video linked to the death of a pharmacist in Karwar, an incident that has raised serious concerns over the misuse of social media and its impact on mental health.
According to the police, the accused—Subhash, Harishchandra and Anil, all residents of Wailawada in Karwar taluk—were arrested by the Ankola police for allegedly making viral a video involving the pharmacist. The arrests were made following a complaint that the circulation of the video caused severe mental distress to the victim.
The case is related to the death of Rajeev Pikle, a pharmacist associated with Pikle Nursing Home. Pikle allegedly died by suicide after shooting himself with a double-barrel gun at his residence in Aversa village of Ankola taluk. The incident occurred on Friday, and police believe the continuous circulation of the video played a significant role in the events leading up to his death.
Police investigations revealed that the video was recorded around 15 days earlier at the nursing home while Pikle was on duty. The footage reportedly showed a confrontation related to allegations that a member of the hospital staff had administered an expired tablet to a patient. The video was later circulated on social media platforms, drawing widespread public attention.
Despite the pharmacist and the nursing home staff issuing a public apology and clarifying that the incident was an unintentional error, the video continued to circulate. Police stated that the sustained online backlash subjected Pikle to severe mental pressure, which may have contributed to his decision to end his life.
Following the registration of a case, Ankola police initiated an investigation that led to the arrest of the three accused for allegedly circulating the video. Pikle’s last rites were performed in Karwar after a postmortem examination.
The development was reported by The Times of India, quoting police officials involved in the probe, who said further investigation is underway to determine if more individuals were involved in circulating the video.
Authorities have once again urged the public to use social media responsibly and warned that sharing sensitive content can have serious legal and personal consequences.
