Atul Subhash’s suicide highlights rising divorce cases, legal disputes and social challenges in India, despite having one of the lowest divorce rates in the world.
The highest divorce rate in the world
A tragic suicide case has drawn attention to the growing complexity of divorce and marital disputes in India. Atul Subhash, a 34-year-old deputy managing director of a private company, committed suicide in his Bengaluru apartment earlier this month. He left a 24-page suicide note accusing his wife, Nikita Singhania, and her family of molestation. Atul also claimed that a judge demanded Rs 5 lakh to settle his ongoing legal case. After his death, three people were arrested in connection with the case, including Nikita, her mother Nisha Singhania and her brother Anurag Singhania. The latter two were arrested in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh.
Artur and Nikita married in 2019 and have a son, but separated for about a year after their marriage. Their divorce proceedings are ongoing and they are embroiled in a bitter alimony dispute. Before taking this drastic step, Atul recorded a nearly 90-minute video revealing that his wife and her family had filed multiple false lawsuits against him.
Divorce and separation cases on the rise in India
The case highlights the growing problem of divorce and separation in India. Although separation and divorce have always been viewed as a stigma in Indian society, the number of such cases has risen steadily in recent years. According to the latest data from the 2011 Census, more than 1.36 million Indians are divorced, accounting for 0.11% of the total population. Interestingly, more women than men are divorced, with over 909,000 female divorces compared to 452,000 male divorces.
Even more striking is the number of people who separate after marriage. This group totals 3.5 million people, three times the number of divorces. Women again made up the majority, with nearly 2.4 million of them living apart from their spouses. Between 2001 and 2011, the total number of divorces or separations increased from 3.33 million to more than 5 million, showing a growing acceptance of ending unhappy marriages.
Legal handling of divorce cases in India
Divorce and matrimonial disputes in India are handled by family courts, which resolve issues such as separation, alimony, child custody and property disputes. There are more than 800 family courts across the country. However, these courts face a growing backlog of cases. As of the end of 2023, approximately 1.15 million cases remained pending.
Despite the rising number of cases, India’s divorce rate remains one of the lowest in the world at just 1%. In comparison, Portugal has the highest divorce rate in the world at 92%, followed by several European countries.
Atul Subhash’s case highlights the emotional and legal challenges many people face in strained marriages. It also reflects the increasing burden on the justice system and the social changes affecting relations in India today.