Housemaid dies by suicide in Thane high-rise

THANE: A 45-year-old housemaid died by suicide in a high-rise building in Hiranandani Estate, Thane, on Thursday. As news spread, other maids in the complex gathered to protest as initially it was thought that she fell off the building. But, later, CCTV footage showed that the reason of her death was suicide. The Kasarvadavli police have registered an accidental death report in the matter.
The deceased was a resident of the Waghbil area and had lived in Thane since the age of 19, after moving here from her native place in Jalgaon district. Her husband, a former driver, recently left work due to health issues, making her the sole breadwinner for their family of five. They have three children: one married daughter and two others, a girl and a boy, who are studying.
Police said that on Wednesday morning, she left home around 7:30am for her regular work. After completing her work at her employers’ homes in Pelican building on Wood Street, she went to a refuge area on the 22nd floor where she committed suicide.
According to Kasarvadavli police, the incident happened around 11.30am. The police, who were informed by society office bearers, immediately reached the spot and sent the body for postmortem.
Shailaja Patil, one of her colleagues, said, “We have worked together for a long time and always helped each other find new jobs. She was very sweet and helpful. When I received the news about her death, I was shocked. I wondered why she was in the refuge area, as we rarely used it unless we were asked to clean it.”
An officer from the Kasarvadavli police station said, “We immediately checked the CCTV footage of the building and saw the woman going alone to the refuge area. Further investigation revealed that her husband has been ill for a long time due to kidney issues, and her son is also facing health problems. She may have been overwhelmed by these burdens.”