AHMEDABAD: Gujarat’s Surat city was left stunned when senior lawyer and former Surat Congress legal convener, Advocate Feroz Pathan, died by suicide by jumping into the Tapi river late on Thursday night.
Battling depression due to family disputes and financial troubles, the prominent lawyer, who had once represented Rahul Gandhi, left behind a phone call before taking the extreme step. His body was recovered from Ubharat beach early on Friday morning.
Surat’s legal fraternity woke up in shock on Friday after the tragic death of Advocate Feroz Pathan, a well-known lawyer and former legal convener of the Congress party.
Feroz, who once represented Lok Sabha Opposition Leader Rahul Gandhi, ended his life by jumping off the cable bridge into the Tapi river at around 11 pm on Thursday night.
Hours before his death, Feroz made a disturbing phone call to his junior lawyer, Deepak, cryptically saying, “If anything happens to me, come to the bridge near the court.”
Alarmed, Deepak tried to comfort him and asked if he was in the office. Feroz calmly replied that he was. But when Deepak rushed there, he found the office empty.
Worried, Deepak called Feroz’s son and headed towards the cable bridge, only to find a crowd gathered near the river. A sight awaited them, Feroz’s car was parked under the bridge, confirming their worst fears.
Police and family members were immediately alerted, and the fire department launched a night-long search in the strong currents of the Tapi. By early morning, their grim hunt ended when Feroz’s body was found washed up on Ubharat beach, miles away from where he had jumped.
According to friends, Feroz had been battling depression for months, weighed down by domestic disputes, property loans and crushing financial problems. These personal struggles had reportedly pushed him into a dark mental state.
The tragic incident occurred on the day of Eid Milad, adding a layer of sorrow to an already heartbreaking event. His death has plunged Surat’s legal circle and his grieving family into deep mourning. Police are investigating further, while the legal community remembers Feroz as a sharp lawyer whose life ended in a tragic turn of despair.
(If you are having suicidal thoughts, or are worried about a friend or need emotional support, someone is always there to listen. Call Sneha Foundation - 04424640050, Tele Manas - 14416 (available 24x7) or iCall, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences' helpline - 02225521111, which is available Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 10 pm.)