Odisha once again woke up to a tragic news of the death of a young album actress in Bolangir district on March 27. The deceased actress was identified as Ruchismita Guru, a native of Talapalipada in Bolangir town. Ruchismita was found hanging from the ceiling fan of her room on March 26.
She was staying at her maternal uncle’s house in Sudapada and had acted in a number of albums. She was also known as a singer who performed at several stage shows.
It was not for the first time that an actor/actress died under mysterious circumstances in Odisha. The ever-increasing cases of celebrities and youngsters taking their lives have now become a matter of grave concern. While Odia album actress and singer Ruchismita Guru is the latest one to have allegedly taken the extreme step, earlier cases of lady software engineer Sweta Utkal Kumari, VSSUT student Chinmayee Priyadarshini Sahoo, model Soumya Ranjan Panigrahi, DJ Ajex and Durga Prasad Mishra shook the State to its core.
Actor Rashmirekha Ojha
In June 2022, popular Odia television actor Rashmirekha Ojha was found dead at her rented home in Bhubaneswar's Nayapalli area. The 23-year-old actor was found dead on the night of June 20. Rashmirekha had shot to fame in the Odia television industry with her role in the daily soap ‘Kemiti Kahibi Kaha’.
A suicide note was also recovered in which the actress held none responsible for her death. However, Rashmirekha’s family members had accused Santosh Patra, who was staying with the TV actress, responsible for her death.
A fortnight later, Rashmirekha’s boyfriend Santosh was found dead in mysterious circumstances in a house at Basanti Colony of Rourkela on July 6, 2022.
Model Soumya Ranjan Panigrahi
In January 2022, model Soumya Ranjan Panigrahi had also died by suicide. He was found dead on January 30, 2022 at his residence in Nandan Vihar area of Bhubaneswar. In his suicide note, he had blamed his ‘girlfriend’ Sonali for his death. Police registered a case against singer Sonali Nanda and her mother in April 2022.
The case was registered at Infocity Police Station in Bhubaneswar following the direction of the Orissa High Court. The mother-daughter duo was booked under Sections 306 (Abetment of suicide) and 34 of the IPC. The Crime Branch took over the case following orders of the Orissa High Court and recorded the statements of the parents of the deceased model in February 2023.
Not only actors/ actresses, but several youngsters are also ending their lives by suicide for several reasons.
Odisha’s Popular DJ - Azex
Recently, a popular DJ- Azex was found dead at his residence in Bhubaneswar on March 19, 2023. A fresh report suggests the artiste was in conversation with his rumoured girlfriend for around 97 seconds before his death. Later, she tried to make a video call to him, but he did not receive it.
On March 26, 2023, another youth was found dead under mysterious circumstances at a hotel in Bhubaneswar. The deceased was identified as Durga Prasad Mishra of Jalaharpur village under Niali police limits. As per reports, the deceased had come to the hotel to celebrate the birthday of one of his friends.
Health Expert Cites Reasons Behind Such Extreme Steps By Youths
According to psychiatrist Dr Amrut Pattjoshi, today’s youths are very vulnerable to stress and they are not capable in handling any kind of adverse change taking place in their lives.
“Youths are mostly concerned about three issues like relationships, academics and finances. But these days, emotional or relationship issues have become the top of the all. The problem is that we have squeezed our relationship, started depending on one or two people and our support system has dissolved,” said Pattjoshi.
“If asked me who are responsible for this, I will say family plays a vital role here. A family is not there to provide financial support only. The back up a family provides is essential so that they don’t feel alone when they lost their life companions.
The support system of a family has to be developed. We have forgotten to live for others. We are taking everything on our own parameters,” he said. “In this social media age, life has confined to likes, shares and views.
Earlier people used to be effort-oriented. Now, we are results-oriented. And, results may not happen according to our wish. And we are not prepared for that,” he stated.
“There are several reasons for depression. And depression may come without cause as well. So, instead of looking for the reasons, we have to start treatment immediately,” Pattjoshi added.