A 50-year-old woman, identified as Ramila Panchal, died by suicide at Kankaria lake in Ahmedabad on Saturday morning, according to police. Panchal, a resident of Ramol, is survived by her husband, who works with a group of labourers, and a married daughter with children.
Incident Details
Kankaria police inspector J P Jadeja stated that Panchal prepared lunch for her husband in the morning and then left home. She later called her husband and informed him that she would never return. She did not explain her decision and asked her husband not to search for her. The police inspector added that she told her husband to take his mother to the doctor.
Discovery of the Body
While the husband was searching for her, he was informed that a woman had died by suicide at the Kankaria lakefront. Upon reaching the site, he identified the body as his wife's.
Police said that statements from neighbours and relatives indicated no prolonged illness or family disputes. Relatives described Ramila as a doting mother and grandmother.
Context of Suicides at Kankaria
Cops noted that the lakefront is usually crowded with walkers at the time of the incident, yet no one witnessed her jump into the lake. Kankaria was associated with frequent suicides before its redevelopment in 2009. After renovation and controlled entry, such cases declined sharply. The last recorded suicide at the site was seven years ago, involving a man.
