In a freak incident, a 30-year-old fisherman allegedly blew himself up using gelatin sticks and allegedly died by suicide following an altercation with his wife previous night at Dharni in Amravati Rural. The police team which went to the deceased's residence for spot panchnama found that almost half the body from head was blown into pieces. The police sources said that local fishermen use illegally sourced gelatin sticks for fishing. The police have also launched a probe to ascertain from where the deceased could have procured the gelatin sticks.
The deceased person has been identified as Ramu Gaikwad, a resident of Kalamkhar village near Dharni. He stayed with his wife and four children.
Speaking on the case, police sub-inspector Suyog Mahapure from Dharni police station said, "Gaikwad had an altercation with his wife on Monday night, after which around 10 pm his wife along with their children went to stay with her parents, who stay close-by. Around 7 am on Tuesday they heard the noise of an explosion and when Gaikwad's wife and other neighbours came to his home, they found Gaikwad's exploded body."
The police were then informed and the body was sent to the hospital for the post-mortem. The police have registered an accidental death case into the matter at Dharni police station. No suicide note has been found from the spot, police said.
He added, "We have found a mobile phone battery from the spot and it appears that Gaikwad had used the mobile battery as a triggering device for the explosion. We have also found empty gelatin sticks from the spot. Prima facie it appears that he would have used at least two to three gelatin sticks for explosion. Upper half of his body had blown up. Post-mortem report will give more clarity about the death. Also, he had consumed alcohol on Monday night."
"His wife told the police that she had gone to her parents after Gaikwad picked up a quarrel with her and next morning she heard a loud noise of explosion and realised that her husband had died. Fishermen use gelatin sticks to create explosions in the water so that the fishes swim towards the direction of the net and get caught. The gelatin sticks are procured illegally and it is being investigated as to how the deceased person had procured the gelatin sticks and from whom. Enquiries will be made in this regard. It is unheard of that someone had used gelatin sticks to end his life," said PSI Mahapure.
