Depressed about being short in height, 22-year-old woman kills self

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A 22-year-old woman committed suicide on Monday after she had been depressed about her short height for a prolonged time. The woman, Afreen Kahtiq, was found hanging at her home in Magdulnagar in Sachin GIDC area, a Times of India report read. She had sent her husband Anwar to purchase a toilet cleaner. Anwar, who is 5.4 foot tall, owns a photo studio. His wife was 3.9 foot.

The report said she had started taking ayurvedic medicines of a popular brand which promised to increase her height, but after the medication did not yield results, her depression aggravated. Anwar was quoted in the report as saying that after attending family functions or community gatherings, Afreen often said that even kids were taller than her. He said she got very upset after attending these functions and felt depressed. Over the past few days, the woman was constantly worried.

"She told me that despite all efforts and medicines, her height was not increasing. She had consumed three bottles of ashwagandha chura of a popular brand in three months but did not get any result," he said in the report. When the incident was reported, the police did not believe the reason and only after verifying it with neighbours and her parents, did they believe it.

"Her neighbours and other known people confirmed that there was no issue between the couple, but she was obsessed with her short height. She always expressed her wish to grow taller," a police officer said. Before marriage, too, Afreen had tried various medicines, but her height did not increase.

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