Kerala: Businessman slams unscientific lockdown on Facebook, ends life

KOTTAYAM: A restaurant owner is suspected to have ended his life minutes after slamming the state government through a Facebook post on Tuesday for the “unscientific lockdown policies” which forced him to take the extreme step. It was Sarin Mohan, 42, the owner of Vinayaka hotel in Kurichy near here who was found dead on the railway track in Kurichy. Police suspect that he might have committed suicide due to financial liabilities.
The deceased, who was working abroad, had returned from the Middle East and started a hotel business six months ago. He had also started investing to open a textile shop and a spare parts shop in the same building. However, his business got badly hit in the lockdown which was imposed after the second wave of Covid-19.
The hotel business ran into a loss after the government banned dine-in services. He had to pay a hefty amount as rent also.
According to relatives, his liabilities increased as the lockdown continued. The textile shop and the spare parts shop could not be opened due to the lockdown. He was also in deep crisis as those who had given him money on credit started demanding the money back.
The relatives suspect that he might have ended his life after not being able to handle this pressure. His younger son is autistic.
Sarin made the FB post against the government around 4:30am. In the post he has alleged that the government which imposed the unscientific lockdown is responsible for his death.
He also said that the government did not help the hotel industry during the lockdown. He said that the government which allowed the beverage outlets to function and allowed to conduct functions of political parties did not do anything helpful for those who were in the hotel industry.