Surat Shocker: 2 Women Found Dead in Gujarat Temple Washroom After Searching ‘Ways to Die’ on ChatGPT; Elon Musk Reacts
A shocking incident in Gujarat’s Surat has sparked debate over the use of artificial intelligence after two college students were found dead inside a temple washroom, with police claiming their phones contained searches on ChatGPT about methods of suicide.
Surat, March 9: A shocking incident in Gujarat’s Surat has sparked debate over the use of artificial intelligence after two college students were found dead inside a temple washroom, with police claiming their phones contained searches on ChatGPT about methods of suicide.
The two young women, aged between 18 and 20, had left home for college on Friday morning but did not return by the afternoon, prompting worried family members to contact the police. When officers tracked their mobile phone locations, they were led to the Swaminarayan Temple in Surat. A scooter belonging to one of the students was found parked outside the temple premises. Gujarat Shocker: 2 College Girls Found Dead in Temple Washroom in Surat After Searching ‘How To Commit Suicide’ on ChatGPT.
According to police, CCTV footage showed the two friends entering the temple washroom but never coming out. When authorities later checked the washroom, they discovered both students dead. Bottles containing an anaesthetic substance and syringes were reportedly found near their bodies.
Assistant Commissioner of Police NP Gohil said investigators discovered that the students had used ChatGPT to search for information about drugs that could be used for suicide. Police also found a screenshot in their phone gallery showing a news report about a woman who had died after injecting an anaesthetic.
“The two were childhood friends. One was a first-year commerce student while the other studied in the second year. When we unlocked their phones, we found searches asking which drugs can be used for suicide,” ACP Gohil said, adding that the case is being investigated from multiple angles. Nagpur Shocker: 17-Year-Old Girl Dies by Suicide in Maharashtra After After Searching Online About ‘What Happens After Death’.
The bodies have been sent for post-mortem examination, and forensic tests are underway to determine the exact cause of death and understand what may have led the two students to take the drastic step.
Elon Musk Reacts As AI Use In Surat Death Case Sparks Debate
The incident also drew attention online after Elon Musk, owner of X and CEO of Tesla, reacted to a post discussing the case. Responding in a single word, Musk wrote “Yikes.”
His reaction comes amid his ongoing legal battle with OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT. Musk has repeatedly criticized the AI platform and has promoted X’s chatbot Grok as an alternative. In earlier remarks, he claimed that while no one had died because of Grok, there had been cases where people allegedly used ChatGPT while searching for suicide-related information.
Authorities, however, have not suggested that the AI platform itself caused the deaths. Investigators are focusing on the circumstances surrounding the incident and whether other factors contributed to the tragedy.
Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Helpline Numbers:
Tele Manas (Ministry of Health) – 14416 or 1800 891 4416; NIMHANS – + 91 80 26995000 /5100 /5200 /5300 /5400; Peak Mind – 080-456 87786; Vandrevala Foundation – 9999 666 555; Arpita Suicide Prevention Helpline – 080-23655557; iCALL – 022-25521111 and 9152987821; COOJ Mental Health Foundation (COOJ) – 0832-2252525.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 09, 2026 12:41 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).