Surat man dies by suicide ‘after girlfriend ends relationship under pressure’

Police sources said Sagar had been experiencing suicidal thoughts and was undergoing counselling from Chalo Jeevi Laiye Foundation.

Jay Prajapati, who runs the NGO, told The Indian Express, “Sagar Zikarda was undergoing sessions at our centre and was slowly getting rid of suicidal attempts. Sagar, along with a Maharashtrian friend, had learnt the art of sculpture at a firm at Lal Darwaja. The two friends used to go to the sculpture firm and return on the same bike. Both families had good, friendly relationships with each other. Sagar proposed to his friend’s younger sister, who accepted, and they had been meeting secretly for the past two years. After her brother learnt about the relationship, Sagar stopped coming to the workplace and stopped being friends with him.”

Prajapati said Sagar’s parents were happy with his wish, but his friend’s family members had turned down his marriage proposal. “Both families stopped talking to each other. Under pressure from her parents and family, the girl ended the relationship with Sagar. Sagar was heartbroken. He had not gone to work for the last couple of months and had attempted suicide twice, but was saved,” he added.

Prajapati added, “He also belongs to our community, and there is no sculptor in our community. So we encouraged him to start a small art class in the Katargam area for community youths who want to learn sculpting. We told him that once he started running the classes, students would call him “Sagar Sir”, which would give him great respect and honour in society.”

Sagar’s father hails from Saurashtra and has been settled in Surat for the last 20 years.