Mumbai Police launched an investigation after receiving an email on Tuesday from a Bengaluru-based woman, who sought their help in locating her missing brother. She reported that the family had last heard from him on Saturday, and all attempts to contact him since had been unsuccessful.
The Mumbai Crime Branch traced his mobile location to Kaman in Vasai, after which the Naigaon police took over the case.
When officers arrived at the old bungalow on Wednesday, they were met with an unsettling scene. A warning note was pasted on the entrance door, reading: "Carbon monoxide inside; don’t switch on the lights." A strong foul odour was also emanating from within. Suspecting a hazardous situation, police immediately called the fire brigade for assistance.
Upon entry, emergency personnel discovered a 27-year-old man dead inside the bedroom, having allegedly inhaled poisonous carbon monoxide gas. He was found wearing an inhalation mask connected to a gas cylinder, and a suicide note was taped to the wall beside his bed.
Police registered a case of accidental death and launched an investigation into how he obtained the gas cylinders.
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colourless, odourless, and highly toxic gas commonly used in chemical and metal industries. To ensure the gas did not escape, the deceased had sealed the windows of the bungalow with wooden planks, a task he had allegedly hired a carpenter to complete two days prior.
Residents in the area informed police that the man had been living in the bungalow for a year. Further investigation revealed that he had previously resided in Powai, where he worked at a bank in the suburb.
A second warning note was found pasted on the bedroom door, instructing: "Carbon monoxide inside. Please don’t switch on lights. Call police."
To safely enter the room, fire brigade personnel, equipped with PPE kits and breathing apparatus, used a hydraulic spreader cutter to force their way in. Inside, they found the deceased still wearing a helmet, with two gas cylinders tied to his hands. He had also used a nebuliser tube to inhale the gas directly, drawing the deadly fumes into his body.
Fire brigade officers carefully cut the tube from his mouth before removing it from the cylinder. Five cylinders of the gas were found in the house. His body was subsequently sent for autopsy.
An investigating officer confirmed that the deceased had taken precautions to ensure no one else was harmed, leaving clear instructions on how to safely enter the bedroom.
According to Assistant Police Inspector Balaram Palkar of Naigaon Police Station, the suicide note expressed gratitude towards his family for their support but stated that he had been suffering from physical and mental health problems for the past year and a half. The note indicated that these health issues had no cure, preventing him from working or leading a normal life, ultimately leading to his decision to end his life.
Police have recorded the statement of Rohit Vishwakarma, the carpenter allegedly hired by the deceased to seal the house. Vishwakarma told investigators that he had completed the task two days prior at the man’s request.
Authorities are continuing their investigation to determine where the deceased procured the gas cylinders.
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