ChatGPT Suicide Case: Two Surat Girls Found Dead in Temple Washroom
Two college students in Surat were found dead in a temple washroom after reportedly searching suicide methods on ChatGPT, sparking national debate on AI safety.
A tragic incident in Surat has shocked the country after two college students—18-year-old Roshni Shirsath and 20-year-old Jyotsna Chaudhary—were found dead in a washroom at the Atmiya Sanskardham Swaminarayan Temple in the Dindoli area on 6 March 2026. The case drew widespread attention after police revealed the students had earlier searched online, reportedly using the AI chatbot ChatGPT, about ways to die.
According to investigators, the two childhood friends left home around 7:00 a.m., telling their families they were going to college, but never attended classes. When they stopped answering calls, their families reported them missing. Police traced their phones to Saniya village, where one of their scooters was found near the temple. CCTV footage later showed them entering a washroom around 7:30 a.m., after which they never came out.
Hours later, authorities forced open the locked door and found both unconscious. They were rushed to Surat Civil Hospital and SMIMER Hospital, where doctors declared them dead.
Investigators recovered syringes and bottles containing suspected anaesthetic drugs, suggesting the injections may have been self-administered, though the exact cause will be confirmed after forensic reports. Police also found suicide-related searches and images on their phones, including a screenshot of a report about a similar death involving anaesthetic injections.
No suicide note has been found, and authorities have registered accidental death cases while analysing the students’ digital activity to X (social media platform). The case gained global attention after a post circulated on X. Reacting to the post, tech billionaire and Tesla CEO, Elon Musk wrote a short response saying “Yikes.” His one-word reaction quickly spread online and brought further international attention to the tragedy.
The incident has also started a wider discussion about how artificial intelligence (AI) tools should handle sensitive topics like suicide. Experts say AI platforms must have strict safety systems to prevent harmful information from reaching vulnerable users.
