GRP constable commits suicide on local train

Deceased was said to be suffering from TB, but his family has refuted the possibility of him committing suicide

A Government Railway Police (GRP) constable allegedly committed suicide by shooting himself with his service rifle in a local train, on Sunday.

Constable Amar Gaikwad, 35, was travelling in a second class compartment of a Churchgate-bound train from Borivali, when he allegedly shot himself with his rifle, between Malad and Goregaon, at around 4.30 am. Gaikwad was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was declared dead on arrival by doctors.

According to the police, the exact cause behind the suicide was not known, and they are investigating.
 “The shoe of one foot was taken off, prima facie it indicates that he pulled the trigger with his toes. He was supposed to escort the 4.23 am Churchgate-bound local from Borivali. His body was found on the 4.03 am Churchgate-bound Borivali local,” said Ravindra Dalvi, senior police inspector (GRP) of Churchgate.

According to another senior officer of the GRP, Amar Gaikwad was suffering from TB. His wife and eight-year-old son live in Usmanabad. He lived with his mother in the police quarters at Ghatkopar.

Before boarding the train, Gaikwad had dinner with his colleagues at Borivali on Saturday night. ”While having dinner he was giving spiritual lectures to all of us, saying, ‘jindagi ka kuch bharosa nahi, aaj hai, kal na rahe. Earlier also he had attempted suicide twice,” said a friend and colleague on the condition of anonymity.

Meanwhile, the deceased’s family has refuted any possibility of Amar committing suicide, claimed Dalvi.
 “We are inquiring. We are going through the CCCTV footage from Ghatkopar and on the Western suburb,” said Dalvi.

Originally published on The Golden Sparrow