Online trolling: the suicide of 24-year-old Goan sparks discussions over social media use
A viral video allegedly shows Samuel Garvyn De Braganza dumping rubbish in a public area, sparking a wave of online abuse and prompting police to open an investigation. At the young man’s funeral, Father Ramiro Luis said that this tragedy teaches us that, “Every post, every comment, every act of kindness or cruelty contributes to the kind of world that we create”.
Goa (AsiaNews) – The death of Samuel Garvyn De Braganza, a 24-year-old student in Goa, India, has sparked deep emotion and sparked widespread debate over the role of social media and the consequences that digital trolling can have on people's lives.
Hundreds of family members, friends, and ordinary people attended the funeral held at the Church of St. Jerome in Mapusa.
His death has sparked outrage and calls for justice, particularly from his family, who maintain that the young man was unfairly implicated in a dispute over rubbish.
The controversy stems from a video posted on social media that allegedly shows Samuel dumping rubbish in a public area. The video quickly went viral, sparking a wave of criticism and calls for action from the authorities.
Following the incident, the police opened an investigation and served the young man with a First Information Report.
According to his family, Samuel was falsely accused and suffered increasing psychological pressure due to the massive media exposure and hostile comments he received online.
In the days following the video's release, the young man was reportedly the target of ridicule, insults, and public humiliation on social media.
Shortly thereafter, Samuel was found dead in his home. Authorities have launched an investigation to clarify the circumstances of his death.
Although the family has tied his emotional state to the online smear campaign, authorities have not established a direct causal link. Meanwhile, the investigation is ongoing.
In this climate, in his funeral homily, Father Ramiro Luis, a psychologist and professor at St. Xavier's College, where the young man studied, addressed the topic of accountability in the digital age.
“The tragedy before us forces us to examine our conscience,” he said. “In a world of social media, it is easy to comment without thinking, to judge without understanding, to share without considering consequences, to laugh at another person's embarrassment.”
The clergyman urged the faithful to reflect on the lack of empathy that characterises many online interactions, describing contemporary society as marked by a “drought of kindness” and a “drought of compassion”.
"Every post, every comment, every act of kindness or cruelty contributes to the kind of world we create," Father Luis said, urging people to look into their own behaviour.
"This is not the time that we look into who the villains were. It is a time for us to ask: how can I become more responsible for the well-being of others? How can I contribute to life?”
His homily also drew attention to the often-invisible inner suffering, especially among young people.
"Some battles are invisible, some wounds are hidden, some tears are shared in silence," he said.
For this reason, with Samuel's death as the starting point, he has urged the community to pay greater attention to the fragility of others, to listen more sensitively, and to accompany others with greater love and understanding.
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22/04/2013
