Man dies by suicide after being beaten up for not returning money

A 40-year-old man reportedly died by suicide after jumping off from the15th floor of a building in Chembur. The deceased was identified as Kadu Shekade. According to the police, the incident happened after Subhash Bhatt, who runs a shoe store, beat Shekade up following an argument

Mumbai: A 40-year-old man reportedly died by suicide after jumping off from the15th floor of a building in Chembur.

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The deceased was identified as Kadu Shekade.

According to the police, the incident happened after Subhash Bhatt, who runs a shoe store, beat Shekade up following an argument on Friday afternoon.

Bhatt had gone to a nearby shop to give a lunch box to his father when Shekade entered his shop and sat at the cash counter. When Bhatt returned, he found Shekade at the counter, and abused and slapped him.

Later, Shekade informed his friends about the incident and came to Bhatt’s shop along with his two friends to confront him over his behaviour. Bhatt removed his belt and hit Shekade twice and threatened him that he would beat him if he saw him again, Ajay Bhosle, assistant police inspector, Nehru Nagar police station, said.

Around 3pm, Shekade went to his friend Jagannath Satpute’s flat on the 15th floor in a nearby SRA building. He narrated the entire incident and went inside the bedroom and jumped from there.

Shekade’s friend Ankush Rokade, who lives in the same vicinity, informed his wife about the incident. The police were informed and Shekade was rushed to Rajawadi Hospital where, he was declared dead.

During investigation, it was learnt that the deceased had owed some money to the shopkeeper. When Bhatt saw him seated at the cash counter the duo entered into heated arguments. The accused got angry as Shekade was not returning his money and beat him up with a belt, Chandrashekhar Bhabal, senior inspector, said.

“We have registered a case under the Section 306 (abetment of suicide) of the Indian Penal Code and arrested Bhatt. He was produced in the court on Saturday and sent to judicial custody,” Bhabal added.

According to the police, Shekade was staying in Vatsalabai Naik Nagar area in Chembur along with his wife Sharmila and two children—a 17-year-old daughter and 15-year-old son—and 65-year-year-old mother.

Shekade was a driver by profession. He met with an accident two years ago and sustained injury in his leg, and has been unemployed since then. His wife was working in a private firm for taking care of the expenses of the family.