Diamond trader plunges to death from a high-rise

A 56-year-old retired diamond trader fell to death from a Malad high-rise on Wednesday. Prakash Nagpal, 56, had returned home after a morning walk in Liberty Garden in Malad (W).

He informed his family he wished to walk some more and went to the refuge area on the sixth floor and mysteriously fell to death. Police have registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR) in the matter.

Even though no suicide note was found on the spot, the police have not ruled out the possibility.

The police said Nagpal was a diamond trader who had suffered memory loss six years ago and had been forced to sit at home.

After treatment, he had barely recovered when he suffered from hearing loss. These health issues had sent him into a state of depression and he also began feeling lonely.

On Wednesday morning, after Nagpal returned home after a brisk morning walk with his daughter, he told her he wanted to walk some more. Around 7.45 am, he came out of his sixth floor apartment, walked towards the refuge area outside and around 8 am he fell to his death from the sixth floor.

The watchman, startled by a loud thud, rushed to check what had happened and found Nagpal lying in a pool of blood. He informed Nagpal’s wife and daughter, who were at home. Nagpal’s family and neighbours rushed him to a private hospital, where he was declared brought dead. Malad Police were then informed about the incident and an ADR was registered. Gorge Fernandes, a senior police inspector from Malad police station said, Nagpal’s family claimed he had been disturbed for a week because of his ear ailment. “The family in their statement said that Nagpal had been sleepless for over four days and was disturbed by the series of illnesses he had endured. The daughter, however, said her father enjoyed going on morning walks with her and did not show any signs of depression on Wednesday morning,” said Fernandes.