“Go and Die”: Kerala High Court Acquits Man in Suicide Provocation Case

New Delhi / Kerala: The Kerala High Court has acquitted a man accused of provoking a woman and her daughter to commit suicide by telling them “Go and die” during an argument. The court clarified that words spoken in the heat of the moment cannot automatically be considered an incitement to suicide.

Presiding Justice C. Pradeep Kumar referred to precedents set by the Supreme Court, emphasizing that the key factor is the intent of the accused, not how the victim perceived the words.

Case Background
The case involved Safwan Adhur, a resident of Bara in Kasaragod, against whom local authorities had filed charges under Section 306 (abetment of suicide) and Section 204 (destruction of evidence) of the Indian Penal Code. The incident occurred after Adhur allegedly had an affair with a married woman. When the woman confronted him about plans to marry another woman, a heated argument ensued, during which he reportedly told her to “go and die.”

On 15 September 2023, the woman and her 5½-year-old daughter tragically jumped into a well and died. Following the incident, police registered a case against Adhur. The Additional District and Sessions Court in Kasaragod had initially allowed charges under Section 306 to proceed, rejecting his plea for acquittal.

High Court Verdict
The Kerala High Court overturned the lower court’s decision, stating that Adhur’s words were uttered in anger during an argument, with no intent to provoke suicide. Consequently, no offense under Section 306 was made out, and the related Section 204 charges also failed.

The judgment reinforces the principle that criminal liability in abetment of suicide cases depends on the intent of the accused, not the mere occurrence of a tragic outcome.