UP Woman Dies by Suicide After Missing Navratri Puja Due to Menstruation

A tragic incident unfolded in Uttar Pradesh’s Jhansi, where a woman allegedly took her own life after being unable to perform Navratri rituals due to menstruation. The 36-year-old woman, Priyansha Soni, was rushed to hospital after she attempted to poison herself but sadly died on the way.

Priyansha was residing with her husband, Mukesh Soni, and her two young daughters, three-and-a-half-year-old Janvi and two-and-a-half-year-old Manvi. Her untimely death has left the family in extreme sorrow.

Mukesh told that Priyansha was very eager to get ready for Navratri and was very much worried about the festival. She had asked him to buy all things needed for the puja, and he did so. But on the first day of the festival, she started menstruating, which stopped her from fasting and taking part in the rituals. This deeply upset her, and despite Mukesh’s attempts to reassure her that it was a natural occurrence, she was unable to come to terms with it.

“She kept saying that she would begin the puja once the goddess arrived. But when she got her periods on the first day, she couldn’t perform the rituals. I tried to explain to her that it wasn’t in her control, but she felt like she had lost something important,” Mukesh recalled.

The following day, while Mukesh was at his shop, Priyansha allegedly consumed a poisonous substance. When her family discovered her condition, they rushed her to Jhansi Medical College, where doctors managed to stabilize her. She was later discharged and brought back home, but her health took a sudden turn for the worse. She was then taken to the district hospital, where she passed away while undergoing treatment.

Upon being notified of the case, Kotwali police took possession of her body and sent it for post-mortem. Jhansi City Police Officer Sneha Tiwari confirmed the incident, stating, “A woman from the Kotwali area consumed poison. Her husband admitted her to the hospital, but she could not be saved. The body has been sent for post-mortem, and an investigation is underway.”

If you or someone you know is experiencing emotional issues, assistance is available. In India, there are suicide prevention helplines such as:

• Sarathi (Assam): 104

• Sumaitri (Delhi): 011-23389090

• Jeevan (Jamshedpur): 065-76453841

• Sneha (Chennai): 044-24640050

• Pratheeksha (Kochi): 048-42448830

(Input from various sources)

(Rehash/Sai Sindhuja K/MSM)