A 47-year-old government doctor allegedly died by suicide after shooting himself with his licensed revolver inside the puja room of his three-bedroom flat at Blossom Apartment in Kanpur during the early hours of Monday. The deceased, identified as Dr Sandeep Singh, was working as a general surgeon at a government hospital in Kanpur Dehat.
According to police, the incident took place at around 2:30 am, but authorities were informed nearly three and a half hours later, at around 6 am. Police said there was some initial confusion regarding jurisdiction, which reportedly delayed the reporting of the incident.
Wife Heard Gunshot, Rushed to Puja Room
Police said Sandeep’s wife, Kanchan, was at home when she heard a loud sound coming from the puja room. She immediately rushed towards the room and found her husband lying on the floor in a pool of blood with a gunshot injury to his chest.
Kanchan reportedly rushed Sandeep to a hospital for emergency medical treatment. She also informed other family members, who live in the Chakeri area of the district. However, doctors declared Sandeep dead on arrival.
The police subsequently reached the spot and began investigating the circumstances surrounding the death. No suicide note has been recovered so far.
Family Dispute Angle Under Investigation
Assistant Commissioner of Police, Kanpur, Virendra Vikram, said the exact reason behind the alleged suicide has not yet been established. However, the deceased’s family reportedly indicated that a family dispute could have preceded the incident.
The preliminary police inquiry has also indicated a possible family dispute angle, although officials said the investigation is still underway and no definitive conclusion has been reached.
Senior Sub-Inspector Neeraj Dwivedi said that Sandeep’s wife and their two children—a four-year-old daughter and a two-month-old son—were present inside the apartment when the incident occurred.
Doctor Had Earlier Separated From First Wife
Police also gathered details about Sandeep’s previous marriage as part of the inquiry. According to the information provided by the family, Sandeep had earlier married a woman who was also a doctor. The couple reportedly had a love-cum-arranged marriage but mutually separated in 2019.
More than a year later, Sandeep married Kanchan, who is from Kasganj, in an arranged marriage. The doctor also had a son from his first marriage, who lives with his former wife.
Police officials are examining the circumstances surrounding Sandeep’s personal and family life to determine whether any immediate dispute or other factor may have contributed to the incident.
Post-Mortem Report Awaited
Investigators have taken up the case and are examining the circumstances surrounding the shooting. The licensed revolver involved in the incident is also expected to form part of the investigation.
Police said the post-mortem examination report is awaited, which may provide further details about the nature of the injuries and help investigators establish the sequence of events.
At present, police have not confirmed the motive behind the death. Further investigation, including statements from family members and other relevant evidence, is expected to shed light on what happened inside the apartment during the early hours of Monday.