Influencer Misha Agarwal's death: Family confirms suicide, fans are sceptical

The online community is reeling following the tragic death of popular content creator Misha Agrawal, whose family confirmed yesterday that she died by suicide on April 24th, just two days before her 25th birthday.

Initial news of Ms. Agrawal's passing emerged on her Instagram account on April 26th with a simple post stating her birth and death dates. This sparked confusion amongst her significant online following. In a statement released on April 30th, her sister shared the details, explaining that Ms. Agrawal had been battling with her mental health, particularly concerning her social media presence.

According to the family's statement, Ms. Agrawal, a law graduate who was also preparing for civil service exams, had become increasingly distressed by the decrease in her Instagram follower count. Her sister recounted emotional conversations where Ms. Agrawal expressed fears that a decrease in followers would ruin her career and leave her feeling worthless. Despite her sister's attempts to offer reassurance and encourage her to view Instagram as simply entertainment, Ms. Agrawal's was consumed by digital metrics, ultimately leading to her tragic decision.

"My little baby sister had built her world around Instagram and her followers," the statement read, "When her followers started decreasing, she became distraught and felt worthless... Tragically, she became so overwhelmed that she took her own life, leaving our family devastated." The family has requested privacy as they navigate their profound loss.

However, the circumstances surrounding Ms. Agrawal's death have been met with scepticism by some of her fellow influencers and fans. In the comments section of her Instagram post, several voiced their disbelief that a drop in follower numbers could have led to such a tragic outcome.

Influencer Harjas Sethi commented, "I spoke to her many times, she truly believed in herself and was headstrong and confident... This seems like a cover, she seems to be going through something on her personal front. The family should probe further..."

Content creator Dhananjay Sharma echoed these sentiments, stating, "I used to see her close friends story and she was full of life... I really don’t think followers count mattered to her so much that it affected her in that way. Seems like a cover genuinely."

While the family grieves and requests privacy, the questions raised by Ms. Agrawal's peers highlight the complex pressures faced by online personalities and the potential disconnect between their public persona and private struggles.

(If you are having suicidal thoughts, or are worried about a friend or need emotional support, someone is always there to listen. Call Sneha Foundation - 04424640050, Tele Manas - 14416 (available 24x7) or iCall, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences' helpline - 02225521111, which is available Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 10 pm.)