Life in lockdown lane ends in death, crushing despair

■ CASE 1

Jobless grad poses as cop to beat his hunger pangs

A25-year-old unemployed graduate who had escaped his house after loan sharks came knocking at his door was caught by the Satellite police posing as a ‘home guard’. Having had no food or money for the past two days, he had posed as a cop to order food and beat his hunger pangs.

Ujjaif Mustaq Gena, a resident of Bengali House, near the Fatehwadi bus stand at Sarkhej road, impersonated as a ‘home guard’ had ordered a Nepali youth to get him food from a nearby restaurant in a lane near ISKCON mall. The Satellite police got a tip-off and arrested Gena.

According to PSI K D Raviya (Gadhvi) of Satellite police, Gena had left home a couple of days ago as moneylenders from whom he had borrowed Rs 3 lakh had come knocking at his door. The unemployed Gena had no means to return the money and had left home to escape the loan sharks. The runaway youngster who had no food posed as a cop, so that his hunger pangs could be taken care of. Gadhvi said, “Gena’s father is a data entry operator with a bank and earns Rs 19,000 a month.

Two days on the road had left the young graduate hungry and without food or money.” Gadhvi told Mirror that Gena has no criminal history. The lockdown had destroyed whatever means he had to raise money through employment or otherwise to repay the moneylenders.

When the police nabbed Gena, he claimed that he was a ‘home guard’ who had worked with the Vejalpur police in 2013. When the Satellite police inquired with the Home Guard Commandant’s office, it was learnt that Gena was neither a home guard in 2013 nor currently is one.

Satellite PI P D Darji said, “We found Gena impersonating as a home guard. We are investigating further to find out facts in the case.”

■ CASE 2

Plumber without work for 3 months jumps into river


A65-year-old plumber who was under extreme stress due to lack of work for the past three months ended his life by jumping into a river. The senior citizen who was in deep distress due to his extreme financial condition plunged himself into the Tapi river close to Rander Causeway in Surat. His body was fished out from the river by the fire brigade personnel.

Jayeshbhai Dhanrajbhai Topiwala, resident of Nandini 2, Vesu, was terribly upset due to lack of work in the past three months owing to the lockdown. Unable to carry on any further, Topiwala reached the Rander Causeway in the night and jumped into the river. Locals with the help of fire brigade personnel retrieved the body in the morning.

Family members of Jayeshbhai told the police that Jayeshbhai had been in depression throughout the lockdown and distressed due to lack of work and liquidity. Chowkbazaar Police Inspector Anand Chaudhari told Mirror, “Jayeshbhai took the plunge on Thursday night. His body was fished out by the fire brigade and locals in the morning and handed over to us.” Chaudhari said he had spoken to Topiwala’s wife and sons and they told him that he was depressed since the lockdown.

“No sucide note has been found either at his house, on his person or the spot from where he jumped into the causeway. We have registered a complaint of accidental death and are investigating further.”

■ CASE 3

Ex-factory worker fails to get another job, kills himself


A40-year-old factory worker, who had left his job after a dispute with the owner before the lockdown, committed suicide after failing to get another job during the lockdown.

According to Rajkot’s A division police station, Ramesh Patariya lived with his family in Vijay Plot area on Rajkot’s Gondal Road and worked in a local factory. However, in March, he had a dispute with the factory owner, after which he quit his job. But he was confident of securing a job soon in another factory. However, fate had different plans.

The government soon declared a lockdown. Industries were shut and Patariya had to sit idle at home for two months. When the industries opened late in May, the factories began operating at 40 to 50 per cent manpower. Due to severe market recession followed by the slowdown, no factory owner is looking to induct new employees any time soon.

As per Vijay Balas, writer with A Division police station, “Ramesh got depressed after he realised that his chances of getting a job had evaporated.

Unable to bear it any longer, he mixed a poisonous substance with acid and consumed it on Thursday morning. He was shifted to Rajkot Civil Hospital for treatment, but he was declared brought dead. Patariya is survived by his wife and two daughters.