Jehan Numa hotel owner dies by suicide

Bhopal deputy commissioner of police Riyaz Iqbal said the chairman of the Jehan Numa Group shot himself in the washroom with his licensed rifle

Updated on: Mar 28, 2024, 06:02:10 IST

By Shruti Tomar, Bhopal

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Nadir Rashid, owner of one of Madhya Pradesh’s landmark hotels Jehan Numa Palace and a member of the Nawab family, died by suicide on Wednesday morning at his residence in Bhopal district, police said.

According to the police, no suicide note was found from the spot (Getty Images)

Bhopal deputy commissioner of police Riyaz Iqbal said the chairman of the Jehan Numa Group shot himself in the washroom with his licensed rifle.

“Rashid shot himself with his licensed rifle in a washroom of his house — Shamla Kothi — in Nadir Colony of Shyamala Hills area. The family informed the police about the incident at around 11 am,” Iqbal said, adding that the 73-year-old was “undergoing treatment for acute depression due to some medical issues”.

According to the police, no suicide note was found from the spot.

“The body has been sent to Hamidia hospital for post-mortem examination, and the forensic team has gone through Rashid’s residence for any evidence of foul play. However, prima facie, no evidence of conspiracy has been found. We are waiting for the reports,” the DCP said.

Later in the day, Rashid was buried in the presence of family members.

“After the incident, the health of Rashid's wife Sonia Bibbo deteriorated and she is undergoing treatment,” he added.

Rashid belonged to the erstwhile Nawab family of Bhopal and had set up Jehan Numa Palace Hotel, a heritage property, in the Madhya Pradesh capital.

A family member, who didn’t wish to be identified, said, “He was a traveller and social person but he had to stay at home due to many health issues, including a prostate infection, which caused depression.”

An avid golfer, Nadir Rashid was also a well-known name in horse breeding circles in the country. Rashid and his late brother set up Jehan Numa Palace Hotel in Bhopal in 1983 and over the years expanded operations to other locations in the state.

He is survived by his wife Sonia, sons Zafar and Fazal and daughter Alia and their respective families.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shruti Tomar
I have spent over a decade chronicling Madhya Pradesh’s political and social landscape, covering politics, investigative journalism, crime, human interest, and government policy, blending sharp insight with ground‑level depth. I have closely tracked three assembly elections, three Lok Sabha elections, leadership transitions in MP while exposing governance lapses, tender irregularities, and flawed policy rollouts. My reports have revealed gaps in the Cheetah project, irregularities in medical education, rigging in recruitment exams, and loopholes in policy implementation. In crime reporting, I have moved beyond FIRs to map systemic patterns — from organised crime networks and gender‑based violence to custodial accountability — balancing urgency with sensitivity. My journalism is defined by a commitment to human interest. I have profiled the marginalised Bancchda community, documented atrocities against tribal groups, and highlighted efforts to preserve their culture through heritage liquor and revival of spiritual practices. I have reported on farmers struggling with failed MSP promises, giving voice to those often reduced to statistics in policy files. Passionate about field reporting, I have reported on rampant sand mining in Chambal and Narmada, pharmaceutical companies supplying medicines under altered names, the dire condition of schools and colleges, the plight of commercial sex workers, and skewed sex ratios in specific districts. Beyond deadlines, and as HT’s state correspondent and assistant editor in Madhya Pradesh, I engage with ministers, farmers, students, and activists, believing the best policy stories begin with a single human voice. A postgraduate in Journalism and Mass Communication, I also hold a diploma in sports journalism.Read More

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