KOTTAYAM: In yet another case of Covid- induced financial crisis taking a life, a restaurant owner in Kurichy died by suicide after posting a suicide note on his Facebook page. The deceased was Sarin Mohan (42), a resident of Gurudeva Bhavan at Kanakakkunnu near here.
According to police, Sarin ended his life by throwing himself in front of a speeding train near Kurichy level-cross in the wee hours of Tuesday. Sarin, who was running a restaurant at Kurichy named ‘Vinayaka Hotel,’ slammed the state government for imposing "unscientific" Covid-19 lockdown measures that put the lives of businessmen like him in peril.
Sarin, who was abroad, returned to Kerala and started a restaurant in Kurichy six months ago. With the business showing signs of success, he made arrangements to start a textile shop and a spare parts unit in the same building. However, the lockdown imposed during the second wave of Covid-19 shattered his hopes as in-house dining was banned in restaurants. This affected his revenue. He had to cough up Rs. 35,000 per month as rent for the building.
Sarin borrowed money from others and pledged ornaments to meet his business and household expenses. Relatives say the financial crisis has intensified since then. The crisis was compounded by the inability to open a textile shop and spare parts shop following the lockdown.
According to his relatives, Sarin Mohan was under immense pressure as money lenders and private banks from whom he borrowed money demanded it back forcing him to resort to the extreme step.
His younger child is an autistic patient. Sarin also shared his wife's bank account details on the FB post requesting people to help his family to lead their life. Sarin criticised the government for not allowing in-house dining at restaurants when there was no restriction for people at Bevco outlets and functions such as weddings.
He leaves behind his wife Radhu Mohan, children Karthika and Siddharth.
This is not an isolated incident in Kerala in the wake of the Covid lockdown. For instance, in August, a 38-year-old hotel owner in Idukki hanged himself following a financial crisis caused by the closure of hotels to curb the spread of the virus.
During the same month, the Kerala Hotel and Restaurant Association (KHRA) urged the state government to do away with the curbs and help revive their business. “Around 10 hotel and bakery owners have committed suicide due to irreparable losses during the past one month. If the state government is going ahead with the existing restrictions, Kerala might witness more suicides of hotel owners than daily Covid demises,” G Jayapal, general secretary, KHRA had said.
(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 (available 24x7) or iCall, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences' helpline - 02225521111, which is available Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 10 pm.)