Lucknow: A prominent jeweller allegedly died by suicide in the Saadatganj area on Thursday. The deceased, identified as Manoj Agarwal, was found hanging at his residence in Chowpatty.
No suicide note was found at the scene.Agarwal, who operated a jewellery store in the Kundan market near Hari Masjid, was reportedly under immense mental pressure. According to fellow traders and the Chowk sarraafa association, Agarwal accepted large orders during the off-season when gold and silver prices were significantly lower. With the wedding season approaching, he was obligated to fulfil these orders at the previously locked-in lower rates.
However, the recent sharp surge in precious metal prices reportedly made these commitments financially untenable.
On Thursday night, family members found his body hanging in the courtyard.Upon hearing the family’s cries, neighbours alerted the authorities. Saadatganj police since took custody of the body and sent it for a post-mortem examination.General secretary of the Chowk sarraafa association, Vinod Maheshwari attributed the death directly to market volatility. “Traders in Rajkot, Agra, Kanpur and Lucknow are on the verge of ruin due to the current price hikes. We urge the govt of India to de-link gold and silver from commodities futures trading to prevent such tragedies,” Maheshwari said.Inspector Santosh Arya of the Saadatganj police station confirmed that the body was handed over to the family following the autopsy. “We are investigating the matter from all angles. Further legal action will be initiated based on the formal complaint filed by the family,” he said.
