Alipur village mourns the passing of their ‘shoulder to lean on’

Pappan Singh Gehlot, 55, a mushroom farmer in Alipur’s Tigipur village, who died by suicide on Tuesday night. Gehlot had made headlines during the first pandemic lockdown in 2020 when he sent his farm labourers back home to Bihar via air. He later funded air tickets of 27 of them to return to Delhi as well.

Naveen, 27, couldn’t hold back his tears as he stood at the cremation ground and watched his “Sahab”, who had treated him like family, burn to ashes. He was the one who got Naveen on board an aircraft for the first time in his life and probably the last as well.

Villagers at Tigipur in north Delhi’s Alipur, where Pappan Singh Gehlot lived. Gehlot sent labourers working at his mushroom farm back hom to Bihar via air. (HT Photo)

Naveen was among the 10 daily wagers who worked for Pappan Singh Gehlot, 55, a mushroom farmer in Alipur’s Tigipur village, who died by suicide on Tuesday night. Gehlot had made headlines during the first pandemic lockdown in 2020 when he sent his farm labourers back home to Bihar via air. He later funded air tickets of 27 of them to return to Delhi as well.

Gehlot was found dead at a temple opposite his residence in the village. In the note that he left behind, on top of a bulky medical file, Gahlot wrote that he was ill for the past 14 years and he hadn’t told his wife about it. He said he had grown weak over the past two months and was depressed. He also wrote that he had taken care of all debts and asked his brothers to care for his wife and daughter.

On Wednesday, scores of people whose lives he had touched reached the cremation ground to pay their last respects. Gahlot’s close family friends estimate that people from at least 15 nearby villages turned up to grieve the passing of the Good Samaritan.

“I can’t imagine that he would do something like this. He was so full of life. In fact, he had met a temple committee member on Tuesday morning and asked him for the timings for Sunday’s meeting,” said Gehlot’s younger brother Gaje Singh.

“He was dealing with issues like blood pressure, diabetes, ulcers and thyroid but how can that make him want to end it all? He never shared these concerns with us,” he said.

“He would go to the temple every day at 4pm, but on Tuesday, he went around 3pm and the temple is usually closed for others at that time. Around 5pm, the priest found him dead,” Singh said.

Treating his labourers to air tickets was not his only act of kindness. Villagers said Gahlot also helped develop the village, got the orphaned married and helped all villagers to the best of his capability.

Sandeep Rana, a mushroom farmer, said Gehlot taught youngsters normal and organic farming. “He was really keen on the development of the village. Recently, he also facilitated a session of honey bee farming so that those who are presently not earning or studying could learn and earn,” he said.

Naveen said Gahlot also take care of his sister’s wedding over 10 years ago. “He treated us like family. I have been working here for 11 years and my father has been working for him for 30 years. We needed money for my sister’s wedding and he gave it without any questions. He would advance us money whenever we needed it,” he said.

Gehlot leaves behind his wife, daughter, and countless others for whom he proved to be a shoulder in need.