55-yr-old man jumps to death at Altamont Road

TRAGIC END: The building where the deceased, Adil Patel, lived with his sister and brother-in-law. Patel jumped from his 19th floor flat

Mateen Hafeez | TNN

Mumbai: A 55-year-old man, suffering from schizophrenia for long, jumped to his death from the 19th floor of Pushpak Apartments at Altamont Road near Kemps Corner in south Mumbai on Thursday morning. The reason behind him committing suicide not yet clear. The deceased, Adil Patel, left no suicide note, the police said.

According to DCP Sanjay Mohite, Patel was staying with his sister and brother-in-law. He was not married. “The watchmen heard a thud and found a man lying on the ground floor in the building premises. They informed the building authorities,’’ said Mohite. The police have registered a case of accidental death. No sign of struggle was found in the flat, said the police.

The police said Patel was being treated by a psychiatrist in south Mumbai. Both his sister and brother-in-law were present in the house at the time the incident occurred. “Nobody saw him jump,’’ said Mohite. According to the police, Patel’s sister was bathing at that time.

The Gamdevi police sent the body to JJ Hospital for a post-mortem.

Dr Y A Matcheswala, who was treating Patel for the last eight years, said, “Patel was suffering from a chronic schizophrenia and would often have hallucinations. Even in the past, he had attempted suicide but it was not very severe,’’ said Matcheswala. He said Patel was once admitted to Byculla’s Masina Hospital and was under observation for some time. “His sister and brother-in-law would bring him to the hospital and take care of him during his treatment. They were very attached to him,’’ Matcheswala said.

mateen.hafeez@timesgroup.com

The Times of India, December 25, 2009