Archita
Age 3212 Apr 2025
Berhampur, Odisha (India)
Suicide
Archita died by suicide. Her partner (who is alleged by the only source reporting the death to have been abusive) was arrested on charges of abetting her suicide.
Berhampur: A 26-year-old man was arrested on Wednesday for allegedly abetting the suicide of a transgender artist in Ganjam district's Digapahandi area. The deceased, a performer in a local Danda Nata folk dance group, was found [suicide method redacted] in a restroom at Phasiguda on Saturday.
The accused, [deadname] alias Bablu, was a co-performer of the deceased, [deadname] alias Archita (32), in the same dance troupe. SP (Berhampur) Saravana Vivek M said sufficient evidence has been found linking [Bablu] to the suicide.
According to police investigations, the duo had developed an intimate relationship while performing together and were living in a rented house in Gandhi Nagar. But their relationship had reportedly strained leading to frequent quarrels.
The incident took place during the ongoing Danda Nacha season, where the deceased had invited fellow transgender performers from Surat and Mumbai. On April 10, [Bablu] allegedly abused and physically assaulted [Archita] in front of other artists, causing significant emotional distress.
The following day, after a dance performance at Phasiguda, [Archita] reportedly skipped dinner and remained in their accommodation while others went to perform. The body was discovered the next morning by the house owner, who immediately alerted the yatra committee.
The victim's father, Saroj Bisoi, filed an FIR at Digapahandi police station on Saturday, initially suspecting murder. However, police investigation revealed it to be a case of suicide prompted by public humiliation.
