45-year-old motorist dies by suicide due to harassment from neighbors and false police complaints in Mulund

Mumbai: Deepak Pihal, a 45-year-old autorickshaw driver, committed suicide on Saturday evening in Mulund after facing continuous harassment and false complaints from his neighbor. The Mulund police registered a case of abetment to suicide against the neighbor, Vijay Jethwa (40), based on a complaint filed by Pihal’s son Vinay Pihal.

Deepak Pihal, a resident of Ramdev Nagar in Mulund Colony, lived with his family and worked as an autorickshaw driver. His troubles began when his neighbor, Vijay Jethwa, built steps in the space where Pihal used to park his autorickshaw. Although the steps were built with the agreement of local residents, the Pihal family razed the area to regain access. This led to an escalation of conflicts between the two families.

Jethwa allegedly threatened the Pihal family and started harassing them. He is also accused of having filed false complaints with the police, creating additional stress for Deepak Pihal, who eventually stopped parking his rickshaw in the disputed space. Unable to bear the constant arguments and stress, Deepak Pihal hanged himself on the night of Saturday, December 14, from a roof pipe of his house. Although his family rushed him to a nearby hospital, doctors declared him dead on arrival.

Following the incident, Vinay Pihal, the son of the deceased, filed a complaint against Jethwa at the Mulund police station. The police have registered a case of abetment to suicide and are continuing their investigation.