A businessman from Ghatlodia, Ahmedabad, succumbed to mental pressure and consumed poison, ending his life. The deceased, Atul Bhatt, reportedly faced relentless harassment from a loan shark over a loan of ₹4 lakh. A suicide note recovered from the scene sheds light on the mental torment he endured, leading to this drastic step.
Atul Laxmi Shankar Bhatt, a resident of Bhavin Society in Ghatlodia, consumed poison at his residence on September 27. Despite being rushed to a private hospital, he passed away on October 25 during treatment. His suicide note explicitly accused a loan shark, identified as Jibhai Desai, of driving him to take his life due to persistent harassment and exploitation.
The note revealed, “I, Atul Laxmi Shankar Bhatt, am ending my life as I see no way out. Jibhai Desai filed a false case of Section 138 against me. The original amount was ₹4 lakh, which I repaid with interest, but he misused my signed cheques to extort ₹14 lakh.”
Police investigations revealed that Atul Bhatt worked in stock trading and diamond brokerage. Due to financial difficulties, he had borrowed ₹4 lakh from his neighbor and friend, Jibhai Desai. Initially provided as financial assistance, the loan turned into a nightmare as Desai charged exorbitant interest and resorted to aggressive recovery tactics.
Atul’s family alleged that Desai frequently visited their house to demand money and used threats to intimidate him. On the day of the incident, Desai reportedly visited Atul’s home, threatening him by saying, “If you can’t repay, drink poison and die. If not, I’ll kill you myself and go to jail.” Desai allegedly claimed ownership of Atul’s house and demanded money by evening, leaving Atul with no choice but to take the extreme step.
The Ghatlodia police have registered a case of abetment to suicide against Jibhai Desai and launched a manhunt to arrest him. A Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) analysis of the suicide note has been initiated to gather evidence against the accused.
H M Kansagara, incharge ACP A division stated, “This is a clear case of financial harassment. We have registered a complaint and are actively pursuing the accused. We are committed to ensuring justice for the deceased and his family.”