Former diplomat shoots self dead in South Delhi

A 62-year-old retired foreign service officer allegedly committed suicide by shooting himself at his rented accommodation in south Delhi’s Shanti Niketan area on Wednesday. Initially, depression over illness is alleged to be the reason behind the suicide. 

The incident was reported to police at around 3.40 pm by the deceased’s son. He made a call to the police control room. Dr Rakesh Shankar was a 1979 batch officer of the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) who had taken voluntary retirement in 2010. Shankar, who held a PhD in environment sciences, was a negotiator, scientist and a professor.  He has authored four internationally well-received books on the subject. He was currently employed as pro-chancellor of Galgotia University. He was a visiting scientist at the Sustainable Development Research Initiative at the University of British Columbia and a Professor at Simon Fraser University.

When a police team reached  the spot, they found Shankar lying in a pool of blood on the floor. He had gunshot injury on his temple and the revolver used in the crime scene was lying near him. He was taken to the hospital where doctors declared him dead on arrival and his body has been sent for the post-mortem examination. The reports are awaited, the police said.

A suicide note was recovered from his possession which said no one should be held responsible for his death. During questioning, Shankar’s son told police that he was ill from past few years and that was the reason he took his retirement at the age of 58. Since then he was undergoing medical treatment at Fortis hospital. However, police refused to disclose the nature of his illness.

‘His mobile phone has been taken into possession and the call details are being looked at,’ an official said. Preliminarily investigation suggests that it is a case of suicide but the probe is on in all plausible angles.  The reason behind taking the extreme step is yet to be established.