In the hours leading up to his tragic suicide, top IPS officer Himanshu Roy did the two things he liked: a good workout session at his usual gym on Thursday evening and his first solid breakfast in several days. He then wrote a short suicide note
Additional Director General of Police Himanshu Roy killed himself on Friday afternoon. He was 54. Roy, who had six years left in service, had been battling cancer. Pics/Getty Images, AFP
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On Friday afternoon, Additional Director General of Police (establishment) Himanshu Roy, 54, shot himself in the mouth with a licensed gun at his home in Suniti apartments, Nariman Point. Investigators suspect the suicide may have been planned as a note was found in a folder with what appears to be his handwriting. Hours before his death, the top cop had a proper breakfast and even asked his cook to prepare his favourite dish.
Invesitators also believe the revolver he used was removed from his locker a day earlier. Director general of police Satish Mathur said Roy left behind a suicide note saying, "No one is responsible for my suicide." The Mumbai Police said Roy had signed it. Mathur said Roy was a very capable officer, a nice person and a gentleman.
According to the Mumbai Police, Roy's disappointment with fighting bone marrow cancer for the last two years might have led to him taking the extreme step. File Pic
According to the Mumbai Police, Roy's disappointment with fighting bone marrow cancer for the last two years might have led to him taking the extreme step, which has also been mentioned in his suicide note. An accidental death report was filed at the Cuffe Parade police station.
Officials said Roy shot himself in the bedroom. Upon hearing the gunshot, his wife Bhavana and two domestic helps rushed in. He was then taken to the Bombay hospital and declared dead around 1.47 pm. His body was later taken to GT hospital for a post mortem, where Mumbai Police kept a thick blanket of security.
Roy's driver constable Mahadev Maske was the first person to contact the control room of Mumbai Police and tell them about the incident. The control room alerted local police who rushed to Roy's house and Bombay hospital.
The news of his suicide shocked all of Mumbai police, as the officer was a very prominent face in the city and state police forces. He had been out of action for the past two years due to his cancer treatment. Senior police officials, including Commissioner of Police D D Padsalgikar, GRP commissioner Niket Kaushik who'd worked with Roy in the Mumbai crime branch and in the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad, IGP Rajvardhan Sinha, among others, visited his family at the Bombay hospital.
Former Mumbai commissioner of police MN Singh said the police force lost a capable and daring officer. Roy's body was handed over to his family and kept at their home, after which it was brought to the Chandanwadi crematorium at night. The funeral took place around 10.20 pm, with top bureaucrats and police officers in attendance. Roy was cremated with state honours around 10.20 pm, with top bureaucrats and police officers in attendance.
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