On Monday, Atul Subhash hanged himself to death in his Bengaluru home and the Bengaluru cops lodged a case of abetment to suicide against Subhash's wife Ankita Singhania and her mom Nisha Singhania, brother Anurag and Nikita's uncle Sushil; also the judge who cackled when Ankita told Subhash to go kill himself and not bother her with sob stories.

Subhash’s mom and dad and bro are beyond inconsolable and the mom fainted while the dad noted, with sad reality, that his son wasn’t the sort who would commit suicide, he was too much the independent sort.

So, a lot of provocation and lots more of abetment went into the suicide, which is a crime. Why, even killing oneself is a crime. Both Atul as well as Ankita Singhania have cases lodged against them after the rather dramatic suicide, funny!

But, death is no laughing matter, what’s funny is the snail-like pace of the Bengaluru Police in taking action. If it was a man prodding a woman into committing suicide, the cops would have done a Usain Bolt to take action. No wonder the male of the species stands little chance against the female of the species, in court or outside court.

There is something very ‘insect-like', everybody is aware, certain female critters are known to feast on their male mates after a round of procreation. Isn’t it a fact, AnkitaSinghania separated from Atul Subhash after she became the mother of his son?

Didn’t she walk out on Subhash, taking the son along with her? Ankita went to her mum’s house in Jaunpur in Yogi Adityanath’s Uttar Pradesh and Atul Subhash’s role was over, except that he felt like he was an ATM for Ankita and Ankita wouldn't let him spend time with his son.

Yup, cruelty has a face and cruelty wears lipstick! Ask the feminists and they will throw a tantrum. Don’t forget the role of the divorce lawyer with a private detective thrown in for good measure. Atul Subhash walked into the parlour like so many other "suckers" before him and so many others after him.

But Atul refused to be Ankita's ATM and Ankita flooded him with cases of dowry harassment and domestic violence. Even the death of her father from cancer was blamed on Subhash! She let him understand, once and for all, who wore the pants – of course, 'She!'

Atul Subhash was stuck. And there was no son in sight. Only continuous demands for "maintenance money" – from Rs 40,000 per month, raised to Rs 80,000 to Rs 100,000. Ankita Singhania’s maw was big and her wants were many, she also knew how fat his paycheck was and she knew the tricks of the trade.

At one time, Atul Subhash was living perpetually in the courtroom, travelling 40 days in a month of 30 days! From Bengaluru tech city to the Jaunpur family court! Atul Subhash was deadbeat as well as dead-meat.

One of his Bengaluru friends says Atul Subhash made Rs 14 lakh a month and had been planning to kill himself from July 2024 per the hints in the writings he left behind...Eerie because there is a Stephen King 9/11 story about the “things people left behind” after Mohammad Atta and his pals beat down the twin towers of the World Trade Centre.

Dead people live their spoor! Atul Subhash was no exception. He wanted payback from Ankita and her family for making him feel like a heel. He was not only a victim but also the butt of gallows humour – black as the nights in the afterlife must be.

Techie Atul Subhash couldn’t lift a heel without dockets hanging from his calves and the number of sections jotted against his name, anybody could make a noose of them – Section 498 to, perhaps, Section 306 to, maybe, Section 304…Ask the feminist lawyers or the lady judge who laughed at him and killed him with cruel words.

Will the offending lady judge who laughed at Atul's helplessness be judged? Will Ankita Singhania be taken to court and tried till she confesses to driving Atul Subhash to committing suicide – as also her mom and her brother? News says Ankita has been sacked from her techie job and she’s staring at a paycheck-less future.

'Subhash's death has also left Ankita high and dry. No more alimony; no more money in the bank @ of Rs 100,000 per month, month after month – the woman did not know how well she was set, thanks to a jovial guy with a fat techie salary.

Ankita Singhania's hunger for easy money has done her in. Atul Subhash didn't want any more of her. He took decisive action, one she thought he didn’t have the guts to take. From 'ATM' to 'Zero Alimony' didn't take too long, did it?

And the Supreme Court has taken notice, or at least that is how it looked like when the top court asked courts across India to base their orders on cases of misuse of dowry laws on eight factors, broadening the debate on the gender-bias that plagues cases filed by wives against their husbands.

The eight points of reference are: Social and economic status of husband and wife; basic needs of wife and children in the future; qualification and employment of both parties; means of income and property; wife's standard of living while living in in-laws' house; has she left her job to take care of the family? Reasonable amount for legal battle for a wife who is not working and, last, what will be the financial status of the husband, his earnings and other responsibilities along with alimony?

Has Atul Subhash's death been in vain? Atul’s soul might be stranded between here and there in the hereafter, but his soulless tormentors wouldn’t be sleeping any easy even if the system works for them. There's a sneaking feeling Atul Subhash took the easy way out. He could have flown off to the Bahamas or booked a seat in a SpaceX flight to the Restaurant at the End of the Universe! Suicide is such a waste of life. (IPA Service)