32-yr-old jeweller commits suicide, was hit by losses due to GST, note ban

A 32-year-old businessman today allegedly committed suicide after apparently facing losses due to demonetisation and the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax, police said.

Officials informed that Karad-resident Rahul Rajaram Phalke died instantly after he jumped in front of a Miraj-bound freight train near Shirvade station in Satara district in western Maharashtra.

Police said that Phalke had sent messages to his friends and relatives on social media platforms like Facebook and Whatsapp stating that he had suffered losses in his jewellery business due to demonetisation and GST and could not find a way to tide over it.

Officials said that his mobile phone, from which he reportedly sent these messages, was missing.

Prabhakar Budhwant, Superintendent of the railway police said that the authenticity of these messages would be verified as part of the investigations into the incident.

He said that Karad railway police had handed over Phalke's body to his kin after a post mortem was carried out.