Mumbai witnessed a shocking incident on Tuesday midnight when a businessman jumped into the sea from the Bandra-Worli Sea Link after claiming he had been bitten by a snake. The deceased has been identified as Amit Chopra (47), who was engaged in the imitation jewellery business.
According to police, Chopra allegedly took the extreme step due to business-related stress. However, no suicide note has been recovered, and officials have stated that the exact reason behind the death will only be confirmed after questioning the family.
Chopra, originally from Rajasthan, lived in Andheri (West), Mumbai, with his wife and children while running his jewellery business in the city.
Around 1 am on Tuesday, Chopra hired a taxi and travelled via Bandra towards the Sea Link. While on the bridge, he suddenly started shouting that a snake had bitten him. Startled, the taxi driver pulled over to the side. Chopra immediately opened the taxi door and leapt into the sea.
The shocked taxi driver alerted Sea Link staff and the police. Bandra Police registered a missing person complaint and launched a search operation, but darkness hampered the efforts, and Chopra could not be traced immediately.
On Wednesday morning, two fishermen, who had gone out to sea, noticed a body floating and later informed the police upon reaching the Santacruz shore. A police team, along with the fire brigade and fishermen, retrieved the body and sent it to the hospital for examination. Initial checks confirmed that Chopra had died hours earlier.
Santacruz Police circulated details of the recovered body, following which Bandra Police suspected it to be the same person who had jumped from the Sea Link. Upon verification, it was confirmed to be Amit Chopra.
Police said the family is still in shock, and their statements have not been recorded yet. Since no suicide note has been found, the reason for Chopra’s drastic step remains unclear. Meanwhile, his relatives from Rajasthan are on their way to Mumbai, and further details are expected after their arrival.