World's highest divorce rate: This country has divorce rate of 92 percent, not UK, US, Canada, Japan, it is...

A tragic case of suicide has brought attention to the increasing complexities surrounding divorce and marital disputes in India. Atul Subhash, a 34-year-old deputy general manager at a private firm, died by suicide in his Bengaluru apartment earlier this month. He left behind a 24-page suicide note accusing his wife, Nikita Singhania, and her family of harassment. Atul also alleged that a judge had demanded ₹5 lakh to settle his ongoing legal case. Following his death, three individuals were arrested in connection with the case, including Nikita, her mother Nisha Singhania, and her brother Anurag Singhania. The latter two were arrested in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh.

Atul and Nikita, who were married in 2019, had a son together but lived separately for about a year after their marriage. Their divorce proceedings were underway, and they were embroiled in a bitter alimony dispute. Before taking the drastic step, Atul recorded a video lasting nearly 90 minutes, revealing that his wife and her family had filed multiple false cases against him.

Rising Divorce and Separation Cases in India
The case has highlighted the growing issue of divorce and separation in India. Although marital separation and divorce have been stigmatized in Indian society, the number of such cases has steadily risen over the years. As per the latest data from the 2011 census, over 1.36 million Indians were divorced, constituting 0.11% of the total population. Interestingly, divorced women outnumber men, with over 909,000 women compared to 452,000 men.

Even more striking is the number of individuals living separately after marriage. This group, totaling 3.5 million, is three times larger than the number of divorced individuals. Again, women form the majority, with nearly 2.4 million living apart from their spouses. Between 2001 and 2011, the total number of people either divorced or living separately rose from 3.33 million to over 5 million, signaling a growing acceptance of ending unhappy marriages.

Legal Handling of Divorce Cases in India
Divorce and marital disputes in India are handled by family courts, which address issues such as separation, alimony, child custody, and property disputes. There are over 800 family courts across the country. However, these courts face a growing backlog of cases. By the end of 2023, around 1.15 million cases were still pending.

Despite the rising number of cases, India’s divorce rate remains among the lowest globally at just 1%. In contrast, Portugal has the highest divorce rate in the world at 92%, followed by several European countries.

Atul Subhash’s case underscores the emotional and legal challenges many individuals face in strained marriages. It also reflects the increasing burden on the judicial system and the social changes affecting relationships in India today.