Mumbai: Twenty-seven-year-old Sapan Patel from Vapi in Gujarat,allegedly died by suicide by jumping into the Vaitarna creek in Virar early this month, after losing Rs 15 lakh to online gambling.
On Sept 2, Patel left his home on a scooter, saying he was headed to Mumbai for a job interview. When he did not return, the family filed a missing complaint with the Vapi police.A suicide note purportedly hand-written by Patel was found in his home. The note mentioned that he had lost the money to online gambling and that he was ending his life. He, however, did not give any details about how he intended to take his life. Both police and family members launched a search for Patel.
The Arnala police on Sept 12 were informed about a body being washed ashore at the beach. The body was unidentified. Photographs of the body were shared across the police stations and their Vapi counterparts identified it as Patel. Police said they are investigating if Patel was subjected to harassment, cyber bullying, or sexual harassment during online gambling.