Mumbai: 14-Year Girl Commits Suicide Over Stress of First Period
A 14-year-old girl allegedly died by suicide in Mumbai on 26th March 2024 night after having a painful & confusing first menstrual period.
A 14-year-old girl allegedly died by suicide in Mumbai on the 26th March 2024 night after having her first painful menstrual period. The girl lived in Lakshmi Chawls of Malwani area of Malad West of Mumbai with her family. According to the police reports, the girl killed herself in the evening when she was alone at home. We don't know how she killed herself but as soon as her family & neighbors learned about the incident, they immediately rushed her to the general public hospital in Kandivali where the doctor declared her dead. The police were informed and they started the initial inquiry by talking to the girl's family. The family told the police that the girl had recently gone through her first period and it was a painful experience for her. She was confused, disturbed & mentally stressed throughout the time and may have ended her life because of it. After this, the police made the panchnama and sent the girl’s body for postmortem. The police have registered the incident as an accidental death report for further investigation. The girl’s body will be returned to her family only after all the formalities of postmortem are completed. The police said that while there are no signs of foul play yet they are still considering the matter from all angles. A police officer said that they will be speaking to the girl’s friends to know more about her mental health & depression and will also check her recent online activities to get an idea of the things she was curious about. The incident has again raised concerns over the unawareness and misinformation among teenagers, especially girls, about menstrual periods. Many social activists & menstrual health awareness NGOs are calling the girl’s death a reminder of the still existing deep-rooted shame and lack of awareness about periods in our society and have blamed it on the inconsistent menstrual health education in India. It is very important to educate teenagers, both girls and boys about menstrual health & wellbeing so that they are neither shocked nor confused & stressed when dealing with them. Remember, healthy awareness can ensure a healthy life.
