Navi Mumbai builder critical after shooting himself at home

Yet another builder has turned to suicide this time in Navi Mumbai Raj Kandhari a 44yearold developer shot himself yesterday at the Sanpada house he shared with his parents wife and kids Sources said he had been depressed for six months because one of his projects was held up Cops are yet to confirm whether it was real estate losses or something else that pushed him to take the drastic stepKandhari lived on the 11th floor of Raj Uday complex in Sanpada PicsSameer MarkandeKandhari is currently under treatment for critical head injuries He runs the Swaraj Builders and Developers Group which is more than 15 years old It has various projects across Airoli Ghansoli Panvel Ulwe Chembur and KoparkhairaneRaj Kandhari shot himself in his bedroom while his family members were out in the hallFlashback to ParmarLess than a year ago Thane builder Suraj Parmar had also shot himself to death on October 7 Parmar was driven to desperation by mounting losses due to red tape and nonpayment of loans After his death cops discovered his diary where he had named four corporators who harassed him for money This prompted builders to strike across Thane Mumbai and Navi Mumbai and a massive investigation was opened into the caseCops arrived at Kandharirsquos 11th floor apartment at Raj Uday complex and rushed him to MGM Hospital in VashiKandharirsquos attempt at suicide bears quite a few similarities to this Apart from the fact that he shot himself the cops also found his diary with a cryptic message inside lsquoJeevan mein utar chadav to aata rehta hai inka saamna karna chahiyersquoThe incidentThe incident took place between 2 to 215 last afternoon when Kandhari was in his bedroom in the 11th floor flat in Raj Uday complex Kandhari used his own revolver which was licensed by the Navi Mumbai commisionerate in 2008 ldquoHe fired a round on the right side of his head and the bullet came out from the other side Kandhari was in his bedroom while his mother sister and brotherinlaw were in the hall There were also two maids one of them took his lunch to the bedroom When she found the door shut she asked the other maid to open it They entered and were shocked to see Kandhari lying on the bed in a pool of blood They screamed and ran out to inform the family who contacted their friends and then the policerdquo said DCP Zone I Shahaji UmapThe watchman Ram Babu was shocked to see cops enter the building and then rush out with Kandharirsquos body ldquoI saw the cops and Kandharirsquos driver carrying him in their arms and putting him in the ambulancerdquo he recalledKandharirsquos wife and two kids mdash a girl and boy mdash had gone away a few days ago to attend a pooja at Narayangaon in Junnar After they found out about the incident they rushed to Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Hospital where Kandhari is under treatmentThe Sanpada police and the Navi Mumbai Crime Branch are investigating the suicide attempt and the possible motive behind it ldquoAt present there is no clue about the reason But his diary clearly shows he was in some kind of depression We are taking statements of the members of the Swaraj Builders group as well as his friends relatives and family membersrdquo added UmaplsquoNormal behaviourrsquoArvind Goel chairman of the Navi Mumbai chapter of the Maharashtra Chamber of Housing Industry MHCI said ldquoThree days ago Kandhari had met me At that time I had asked him whether his health was down He said all was fine He never showed any signs of taking such a step It is shocking his voice his behaviour was all very normalrdquoHe added ldquoTalking about the real estate situation in Navi Mumbai almost all projects are stuck because of policy paralysis from CIDCO and NMMCrsquos side The situation is bad but we cannot say whether this was the reason behind Kandharirsquos suicide attempt Only proper investigation will reveal the truthrdquo