Agartala, January 30
In a heart-rending incident that has left an entire region shaken, a young man and a young woman were found dead in an embrace late on the night of January 29, in what is suspected to be a tragic outcome of emotional distress linked to their romantic relationship.
The couple, belonging to two different religions—Hindu and Muslim—were found hanging together, their final moments seemingly spent holding on to each other.
As dawn broke on Friday, the quiet of the rural landscape was shattered when the news spread. Hundreds of residents from nearby villages rushed to the spot, stunned by the painful sight.
A deep sense of disbelief gripped the area, with people standing in silence, repeatedly asking the same question — why did love have to end this way?
Police from Jatrapur police station reached the scene immediately after being alerted and began preliminary investigations.
The deceased were later identified as Nisha Mallik, aged around 21 years, and Rakesh Mia, aged between 24 and 25 years. Both hailed from the Jamia Khamar area under the Matabari Assembly constituency of Udaipur subdivision in Gomati district.
While Nisha was a resident of the locality, Rakesh’s permanent home was in the Gangachhara area of Udaipur. For the past few months, he had been earning his livelihood by working at a salon in Rangamura Bazar, under Uttar Paharpur Gram Panchayat of the Dhanpur Assembly constituency.
The tragic incident occurred near a stream at Guamura Para under South Paharpur Gram Panchayat. According to preliminary observations, the couple reportedly died by suicide together, hanging themselves from a small tree on elevated land just north of a bamboo grove.
A thin rope was used, and both were found tied together with a piece of cloth, their bodies closely attached — chest to chest, face to face — a haunting image that has deeply disturbed all who witnessed it.
Though the deaths are being treated as unnatural and even hours after the discovery, men and women from surrounding areas continued to gather at the site, many with tears in their eyes, unable to look away from the tragedy.
The body of the young man would be taken to Kathalia Social Health Centre for post-mortem examination, while alternative arrangements were being made for conducting the post-mortem of the young woman separately.
This is reportedly the first incident of such nature in the Jatrapur police station area, leaving behind mixed reactions among residents.
As the village mourns, the silent embrace of the young couple stands as a painful reminder of how love, when cornered by fear and social barriers, can sometimes end in irreversible silence.
