Mumbai: 36-Year-Old CPWD Officer Ends Life In Wadala's Antop Hill After Severe Mental Health Struggles

A 36-year-old officer posted at the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) died by suicide by jumping from an apartment building located in Wadala’s Antop Hill area on Sunday afternoon. 

Deceased suffered from mental problems

According to the Antop Hill police, the deceased Pankaj Keshav suffered from mental problems, so Keshav's family members told the police. On the day of the incident, Keshav’s family members discussed taking him to a rehabilitation centre for his mental illness.

Disturbing details of the act

His symptoms allegedly involved anxiety, hallucinations, panicking, and paranoia, said the police. He would feel like being followed by someone, or somebody attempting to attack him. The same happened on Sunday after he heard about the rehabilitation news from his family, he left his house and started running, cluelessly yet worried about being followed. Two buildings away from his building, a building named Sai Co-Op Society, he entered and reached the fourth floor. 

He kept banging on the door of one of the houses but nobody answered or responded. He kept saying he would be killed and the next thing - he jumped from a window which was beside the stairway on the same floor to the ground. "Some locals gathered and saw Keshav lying on the compound, they alerted us (police) and the emergency services. We took them to Sion Hospital. While he was being treated, he lost his life,” said a police official.

Keshav was posted at the Churchgate office of the CPWD and lived with his family in Antop Hill. He has two daughters. 

The police added that the family does not suspect any foul play or abetment related to Keshav’s death, hence a case of accidental death has been registered by them. Meanwhile, Keshav’s friends and families’ statements are being recorded to probe the case further.