By The News Observer Desk,
Karwar: In a heartbreaking case from Karwar, three people have been arrested for allegedly sharing a viral social media video that is said to have contributed to a pharmacist's suicide.
The Ankola police picked up Subhash, Harishchandra, and Anil—all from Wailawada village in Karwar taluk. The tragedy happened on Friday in Aversa village, Ankola taluk. Rajeev Pikle, who was associated with Pikle Nursing Home in Karwar, reportedly shot himself with a double-barrel gun at his home in Aversa. The news sent shockwaves of grief through the entire district.
https://youtu.be/6M5vDb0JMbw
According to police, this is tied to a video that went viral about two weeks earlier. It was filmed at the hospital while Rajeev was on duty and captured a heated argument over claims that he had given a patient an expired tablet. The clip spread like wildfire online and got a lot of public attention.
After it blew up, Rajeev publicly apologized, explaining it was an honest mistake. Even so, people kept resharing the video, and police say the relentless online backlash left him under tremendous mental strain. Based on a complaint, Ankola police filed a case and started investigating. As part of that probe, they arrested the three men for their role in making the video go viral. Rajeev Pikle's last rites were performed in Karwar on Saturday after the post-mortem. Police say the investigation is still ongoing.
Reporting and Videography by Saikiran Babrekar
