Tikam Laxmandas Makhija, a 57-year-old resident of Khar – indiansupdate.com

A businessman who had been despondent for several months went missing after jumping from the Bandra-Worli Sea Link on Monday morning. On Monday evening, the hunt find him was still ongoing.

Tikam Laxmandas Makhija, a 57-year-old resident of Khar, had faced an accident three months ago, leading to complications that required surgery. His health issues left him feeling unworthy of living, and he expressed his desire to end his life to his family members.

On Monday about 5.30 a.m., a security officer at the sea link saw on surveillance footage that a man had halted his white automobile on the southbound route and was staring out the window towards the sea. The guard promptly informed the Mumbai police control room, which relayed the information to the Worli police station. Another guard rushed to the spot on a bike, but unfortunately, Makhija had already jumped off the bridge by the time he arrived.

Worli police reached the location after the incident and alerted the Navy, Coast Guard, and fire brigade to initiate a search operation. They also began the process of establishing Makhija’s identity.

Makhija had arrived at the sea link in an i20 car registered under the name of Deepak Khubchandani. The police contacted Khubchandani, who confirmed that the person who jumped was his brother-in-law. He shared that Makhija had suffered a head injury in the accident, leading to a surgery during his eight-day hospitalization at Hinduja hospital. The surgery, coupled with his existing conditions of diabetes and high blood pressure, had taken a severe toll on Makhija, and he had been reliant on sleeping pills.

According to Khubchandani, his sister Ritu had visited his house with Makhija the night before the incident. During their conversation, she mentioned Makhija’s negative mindset and his frequent thoughts of ending his “miserable life.” Makhija leaves behind his wife, a son, and a daughter.

At the time of reporting, the fire brigade, Coast Guard, and Navy were still attempting to locate Makhija, but his whereabouts or body had not been found yet, as stated by Ravindra Katkar, senior inspector of Worli police station.