GURUGRAM: The revelries had begun early, the countdown to the
New Year cheered with gusto. Afterwards, the men had trooped into the drawing room to huddle around a angeethi (coal-fired heater) — away from their wives and children in a bedroom — for the last round of drinks before they hit the road on their way back home. That's when tragedy struck, leaving host Hitesh
Saini, 32, dead, and family and friends shocked into stupor.
Saini had allegedly fallen off a balcony of his 10th floor rented flat (number 1003) in tower 8 of Uniworld Garden 1, Sector 47, in the early hours of Monday. Located on Sohna road around 100m from Subhas Chowk, Uniworld Garden 1 is a plush condominium. Tower 8, which houses Saini's flat, is the first building to the right, around 50m away from the main gate, manned by security.
Saini and his wife had planned a party for close friends and family members. Police said preliminary interrogation has revealed Saini had gone to the balcony between 1-1.30am. Around 8-10 people were present in the house at the time. They also said family members have claimed Saini was drunk and could have fallen off, but couldn't vouch for it. No one was with Saini when he fell. Apparently, his wife saw him fall off and screamed, at which the guests rushed downstairs to find him dead.
"No statements have been recorded yet. His wife is in shock. We'll wait for her to recover and have her statement recorded," said ASI Manoj of Sadar police station, the investigating officer. No FIR has been registered yet.
By the time the guests had reached downstairs, society resident Prateek Thakran had rushed to Saini's side. A community party hosted by the society RWA was on at the time in the common plaza, with a DJ playing loud music while residents were still finishing their dinner. Apparently, Thankran, who was at the party, had rushed to help after he heard screams followed by a loud thud.
Within minutes, guards and Saini's guests had reached, to find Thakran trying to control the bleeding with his jacket. "Prateek was about to take Saini to hospital himself, when his friends arrived in their car. Together, they went to Park hospital," Thakran's brother told TOI.
Cops said, Saini's father-in-law, who lives in a nearby society, had also come down for party, but had left before accident took place and was informed on phone.
Saini used to run a herbal products firm with a branch in Germany, where he used to export his products. He had recently shifted to the rented flat from Delhi's Sainik Farms, where he owns a house. According to RWA president Nirlipt Singh, not many in the society knew the family as they had moved in recently. Police said Saini's body has been sent for post-mortem, and will be preserved till his sister arrives from Guwahati. He is survived by his wife and two children, aged 5 and 3.
Relatives claimed Saini was drunk.
