BENGALURU: In a tragic incident, a 39-year-old cab driver died by suicide by immolating himself outside his estranged wife’s residence in Jnanabharati, west Bengaluru, on Thursday morning.

H Manjunath, originally from Tumakuru and living in NGEF Layout, was married to Nayana Raj, a make-up artist, in 2013. The couple had a nine-year-old son. In 2022, Nayana filed for divorce, leading to their separation. Despite this, Manjunath frequently visited her parental home, pleading with her to withdraw the petition and reconcile. However, Nayana reportedly refused to comply.

On Thursday, Manjunath arrived at her home around 8:30 am, once again requesting her to return. When his pleas went unanswered, he returned around 11:30 am, doused himself with an unidentified flammable substance, and set himself on fire. He succumbed to his injuries on the spot.

Following the incident, Manjunath’s mother, Nanjamma, lodged a complaint against Nayana, along with her parents and sister, alleging possible foul play. The police have registered a case against the accused under BNS 194 for creating public disturbances and conflict.

This heart-wrenching case sheds light on the devastating impact of strained personal relationships and calls for greater mental health support for individuals dealing with emotional distress.