Campus Times | Lucknow

In a tragic incident that has sent shockwaves through the local community, Alok Singh, a 50 year old former student union president of PPN College, Kanpur, was found dead at his residence in the Basant Vihar area on Wednesday morning.

Initial investigations by the Hanumant Vihar police suggest that Singh died by suicide after allegedly shooting himself in the head with his licensed double barrel firearm.

The incident came to light at approximately 5:00 AM on Wednesday. Family members grew concerned when Singh did not respond to repeated knocks on his bedroom door. Upon forcing the door open, they discovered his body lying in a pool of blood on the bed. The police were immediately alerted, and a forensic team was dispatched to the scene to collect evidence. No suicide note was recovered from the room.

A history of personal struggles

According to family members, Singh had been grappling with significant mental distress over the past two years. His wife, Vinita, had been living in Lucknow with their two daughters, Anushka and Anshika, for some time. Relatives stated that this separation had deeply affected Singh, leading him into a period of isolation and increased alcohol consumption.

The family has also been struggling with profound grief following the loss of Alok elder brother, Ajit Singh, who passed away during the COVID 19 pandemic in 2021. The family was still in the process of healing from that trauma when this latest tragedy struck.

Police investigation underway

Hanumant Vihar Station House Officer (SHO) Rajiv Kumar confirmed that the preliminary investigation points toward suicide.

We have recovered the licensed double-barrel gun used in the incident, SHO Kumar stated. While it appears to be a clear case of suicide, we are examining all aspects of the case. Neighbors and family mentioned hearing a loud sound similar to a blast on Tuesday evening, though it went unnoticed at the time. Further action will be taken based on the post-mortem report and ongoing forensic findings.

Singh was actively involved in his family transport business at the Naubasta Morang Mandi alongside his father, Keshav Nath Singh. His untimely death has left his colleagues, former fellow students, and the local business community in a state of mourning.