A 50-year-old IT professional died on Wednesday afternoon after he allegedly jumped off from the sixth floor of his office building in Newtown, Kolkata, police said.
The deceased Dwaipayan Bhattacharya was working with a multinational IT company which has its office in the Unitech building in Action Area 1.
Police said that despite immediate rescue efforts and being rushed to a nearby hospital, he succumbed to his injuries.
“The incident occurred around 2:30 PM on Wednesday at the Unitech building in New Town, Action Area-1. Dwaipayan Bhattacharya, holds a significant position in the Kolkata office of a multinational IT company. Primarily, after lunch, employees had returned to their work as usual. Dwaipayan jumped from the sixth floor of the building after lunch. He was quickly rescued and rushed to a hospital in New Town, where he succumbed to his injuries,” said a police official.
Bhattacharya, had earlier shared a quote on his Facebook page: “There is freedom waiting for you, on the breezes of the sky, and you ask ‘What if I fall?’ Oh but my darling, What if you fly?” This message has fueled speculation about his mental state and the potential struggles he may have been facing.
“We are probing the case from all possible angles. Whether it is suicide or not, is part of investigation,” said a police official who did not rule out a foul play.
Colleagues described Bhattacharya as a sociable and skilled worker, though some noted a recent change in his demeanor, with him becoming “less communicative”.
“I just cannot imagine what would have happened that led to this very unfortunate outcome. Rest in peace, friend,” a close friend of Bhattacharya posted on his social media page.
According to sources, Bhattacharya was a successful professional from an affluent background, with memberships in several prominent Kolkata clubs. “He was always active on social media and posted a lot of pictures with people he knew, and he hung out in clubs,” said one of his friends.
He was also an alumnus of prestigious institutions, including Don Bosco and Presidency College, where he was known as a meritorious student. His wife is also an IT professional.
Meanwhile, TMC MLA Vivek Gupta, who was Bhattacharya’s classmate expressed his shock and said, “This cannot be a suicide case.”
“Actual facts will be investigated by police but no one who knew him would believe, he committed suicide. He was always so active in our WhatsApp group and everyone would have friendly chats with him. It is disheartening and extremely shocking to lose a friend. Let police find out the truth,” Gupta told The Indian Express.