In a shocking development, a 35-year-old HIV-positive patient committed suicide by setting himself on fire in Bihar's Gaya district on Thursday.

The deceased identified as Satyendra Malakar was working as a daily wage labourer in Gujarat. He recently had returned to his village after falling sick. He was tested HIV positive after he underwent treatment at the Patna Medical College in Patna.

Speaking on this, Mira Devi, Malakar’s mother said: “He went along with his wife and children to work in Gujarat. After coming from there he got himself checked at a hospital in Patna where he got tested positive for AIDS.”

Meanwhile, the village headman made it clear that Malakar was never considered as a social outcast by the village folk.

"No one in the village discriminated against him. His family recently attended a function in the village. He also ran a grocery store," said Rajiv Ranjan, village headman.

Moreover, the villagers also performed Malakar’s last rites.

As per UN, over 5.7 million people struggling with HIV/AIDS are living in India.

Experts do believe that lack of awareness and widespread stigma had compelled thousands of people to conceal their infection and later ending up their lives.