India's Diamond Industry hit by 64 Suicides
July 25, 24
(IDEX Online) - Two diamond workers from India reportedly took their own lives on the same day, as the global downturn continues taking its financial toll on the world's cutting and polishing capital.
They bring the number of industry suicides in the last 15 months to at least 64, according to the Diamond Workers Union Gujarat, in Surat.
Police identified one of the dead men as Sagar Makwana, aged 21, from Surat, who left a note explaining that he was in financial trouble because he wasn't getting enough work cutting and polishing rough diamonds.
He was staying with his older brother, who found his body on the morning of Wednesday 17 July.
In a separate incident, Bhavesh Nagin Seth, a 65-year-old diamond merchant from Mumbai, is reported to have ended his life, also on 17 July, by jumping off the eight-lane Worli-Bandra sea link bridge (pictured).
He was depressed after incurring huge losses in his business, based at the Bandra Kurla Complex, according to local news reports. No suicide note was found.
He took a cab to the bridge and a witness who saw him jump called the emergency services. But efforts to rescue him were hampered by strong waves. He was declared dead on arrival at hospital.
Bhavesh Tank, president of the Diamond Workers Union Gujarat in Surat, told the Indian Express: "We have started a helpline number to prevent diamond polishers from ending their lives. To date, we have received over 500 calls.
"They are unable to pay loans, repay the money borrowed from people and friends, pay the house rent or cover the education expenses of their children."