Bengali TV actress commits suicide over social stigma of same-sex relationship

She wooed audiences with her performances in popular Bengali sitcom, Tumi Ashbey Bole but gave in to the social pressure created by her same-sex relationship. 

Two days after Bengali TV actress Disha Ganguly committed suicide, police reports suggest, it was stress that drove her to take this drastic step. 

Social stigma over her same-sex relationship with another TV actress, led her to commit suicide says police. However, there was yet another twist to the story. As soon her actress friend learnt about Ganguly committing suicide, she also attempted suicide. 

Her friend, a resident of Baranagar, tried to jump in front of a running train at Howrah station. But, she was saved by locals. Currently, she is undergoing treatment at a hospital after sustaining minor injuries. 

“A few months back, this actress friend of Ganguly, started staying at her apartment. Soon, Ganguly’s mother arrived from Nairobi (where her parents reside) and objected to their relationship. Her mother even got her friend to move out of the apartment,” said a senior police official. 

According to the police, she had a steady relationship with another actor Vivaan Ghosh. A day before she committed suicide, she even went to the Eden Garden’s to watch an IPL match with him. On her way back, she had a heated conversation over the phone with her friend. 

While Ganguly’s parents insisted she got married to Ghosh, she was in a fix and stuck in between two relationships. 

Sources in the industry also said that Ghosh and Ganguly’s friend fought over her a few days back. 

Police reports suggest that the TV actress was drawn into a situation where she battling pressure from her parents, her boyfriend and girlfriend. Eventually, she gave in to death. 

Meanwhile, a preliminary postmortem report revealed that she committed suicide two hours after eating dinner. 

After examining her phone call history, it was found that the last few calls she made was to Ghosh, her actress friend and her father. Hours before she committed suicide, she even transferred Rs.50,000 from her personal bank account to a joint bank account - owned by her actress friend and her. The transaction was carried out through net banking from her phone.