Image Of Suicide In Maharashtra Revived With Lockdown Spin

A disturbing image of a couple and a toddler hanging from a tree in Nagpur has resurfaced with claims that it is from Surat where a migrant family committed suicide. The image is viral in the backdrop of the current lockdown to contain the transmission of COVID-19.

Thousands of migrants from states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Odisha, who work in factories in Surat, are currently stuck in the Pandol industrial area due to the coronavirus lockdown.

The image has been shared on Facebook with claims that the deceased family was walking back to their native place from Surat when they killed themselves because of hunger.

The posts have been captioned as, "They were coming from Surat on foot. When they could not tolerate hunger, they decided to commit suicide. Media if you are done with telecasting news about Markaz Nizamuddin, then do give them some air time."

(Original text in Hindi: सुरत से आ रहें थे पैदल भुख बरदाश्त नहीं हुई तो सुसाइड कर ली. कोरोना मिडिया अगर मरकज़ निजामुद्दीन से फुरसत मिल गई हो तो जरा अपनी न्युज में उसको जगह दे)

The photo is viral with another similar narrative that links it to the ongoing lockdown. The captions read, ''What do you want to do by lighting candle? Respected PM Modi Ji think about these poor daily wagers at times. They have committed suicide due to lack of food because of the Corona lockdown. What was the fault of these innocents?"