Pune man found dead at same spot in Kolhapur where his family died in 2023 bus accident

Kolhapur: The body of a 58-year-old man from Pune was found in a decomposed state, in a suspected suicide case, at Puikhadi Ghat in Kolhapur district on Friday morning.

Police identified the deceased as Virat Gautam of Manjari Budruk in Pune and said his wife Nilu (43), daughter Riddhima (17) and son Sarthak (13) had died at the same spot on Nov 23, 2023, when a private sleeper bus overturned while travelling from Panaji (Goa) to Mumbai.

According to preliminary investigations, Gautam had been frequently visiting the ghat since the accident. Police said he would place three garlands on the metal railing installed at the accident site and spend hours mourning his family.

Investigators also found a social media post allegedly written by Gautam before his death, in which he announced his intention after leaving Pune for Kolhapur. He reportedly arrived at the ghat on May 9 and was seen in the area for a couple of days before going missing. “The body has been sent for post-mortem. We will be able to determine the exact cause of death only after the report. The deceased was found at the same location where his wife and two children died in the accident. We have contacted a relative from Pune, who is expected to reach Kolhapur soon,” a senior police officer said, adding that they suspected it to be a case of suicide.

Police recovered Gautam’s cellphone from the scene, which helped confirm his identity. They then contacted individuals from his call records to gather further information about his background. “Residents told us that they saw Gautam at the site on multiple occasions but assumed he was a beggar due to his appearance. He appeared deeply distressed after losing his family and may have been struggling with loneliness,” another officer said.