Odisha man 'dies by suicide' after losing money in online betting

A 31-year-old from Odisha's Kendrapara district allegedly died by suicide by jumping before a moving train near Jharsuguda railway station. Police suspect him to have taken the extreme step under mental pressure following a huge loss of money in online betting.

The deceased was identified as Achyutananda Sahoo, who belonged to Oradi Lankapada village of Kendrapara district. The man was working as a staffer in a hotel in Jharsuguda town.

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According to sources, Achyutananda had texted his mother that he had availed a personal loan of around Rs 25 Lakh. He is suspected to have taken the extreme step as he was unable to repay the loan amount.

“He (Achyutananda) had come to the hotel in the morning at around 7.00 AM and done his duty. He had left at around 4.00 PM after his duty was over and went to his room in the staff quarters. I had talked with him in the morning and had not felt anything that he was under any sort of mental pressure. He was working as a head cashier and was a very nice person,” the hospitality facility manager Pradipta Kumar Sahu said when contacted.

“At around 9.30 PM, I got a phone call from one of his family members who told me about the message which he had sent them. Immediately, I informed Jharsuguda Town police station and requested to trace him,” the hotel manager added.

“Primary investigation and mobile messages suggest that the man died by suicide after losing money in online betting. However, the exact reason behind his death can be ascertained only after a post-mortem report comes in,” the government railway police (GRP) IIC Santosh Mirdha stated.