Builder shoots self dead; cites cop harassment over sons’ drugs cases

Navi Mumbai: A 60-year-old builder, Gurunath Chichkar, died by suicide by shooting himself in the head with an unlicensed pistol at his Belapur office on Friday morning. In his suicide note, addressed to his mother, Chichkar cl-aimed that he was distressed by the ‘harassment' by Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and Belapur police, who repeatedly summoned him for inquiry into the drugs seizure cases ag-ainst his two sons, who are absconding. Chichkar's wife submitted the note, along with oth-er documents, to NRI Coastal police, who have registered an accidental death report case. "If there is a suicide note, Chichkar's handwriting will be verified," said ACP (crime) Ajay Landge, adding that they will also probe into the unlicensed pistol.On Friday, around 6.30 am, Chichkar, who lived on the fourth floor of a housing society in Kille Gaothan near Belapur Fort, went to his office located on the ground floor. When he did not return home till 9.30am, his wife went downstairs to check on him and found the office door locked from inside. When he did not respond to repeated knocks, she informed his nephew, who broke open the door. They found Chichkar lying in a pool of blood with a bullet injury on his right temple and the pistol next to him. The nephew informed NRI Coastal police, who took Chichkar to hospital, where he was declared "brought dead"."Chichkar's family claimed that he was under severe stress for the past one month because he was constantly summoned for questioning by Mumbai NCB as his two sons, Naveen and Dhiraj, were allegedly involved in drug trafficking," DCP Pankaj Dahane said. "Last month, NCB busted a drugs cartel of which Naveen, who is based abroad, was the alleged kingpin. This cartel reportedly brought narcotics like cocaine and hybrid strain hydroponic weed to Mumbai via air cargo from the US. Dhiraj's name cropped up after a recent drug seizure by Navi Mumbai Anti-Narcotics Cell."An NCB officer said they are investigating the case by legal means as there are three cases registered against Naveen and Dhiraj, who also allegedly bought properties from the proceeds of the crime. Belapur police too have registered cases against the duo.