The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Handwriting experts in the police forensic directorate are analyzing the purported suicide note left by Indian national, Vikrant Sangir who is said to have committed suicide at Fairway hotel last Friday. Sangir’s lifeless body was found hanging on a rope in room 2204 at Fairway hotel a day after his colleague, Sidharth Shyamsunder Sharma reported him missing at Kampala Central Police Station (CPS).
Deputy Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson, Luke Owoyesigyire says preliminary investigations show that Sangir checked in at Fairway hotel around 10:44 am on August 8, 2019. The next day, the hotel staff gave him extra hours to check out, in vain.
The hotel manager was forced to open the room around 1 pm only to find the deceased’s lifeless body handing by a rope. Owoyesigyire says police rushed to the crime scene upon after being alerted by Fairway hotel management. The body was found still hanging on a rope.
It was cut down in the presence of the deceased’s colleague who had reported his disappearance. Sangir was a businessman and resident of Old Kampala along Martin Road in the Kampala Central Division. He operated a hardware shop along Nabugabo Road together with other Indians including Sharma.
“Investigations show he left his work place on the 8th day of August 2019 at around 10:30 hrs and told his workmates that he was sick and going for treatment at Norvik hospital along Bombo road, Wandegeya Kampala. He never reached the hospital,” Owoyesigyire said.
Police found a handwritten note in, which he urged police and hotel staff not to blame anyone, saying he willingly chose to take his life. Owoyesigyire said the note doesn’t conclude that he really killed himself, a reason it is being analyzed by handwriting experts.
He explained that Sangir cut a string on the swinging chair (Homook Relaxing chair), which was in his room and used it to end his life. He was suspected to have had some food, drinks and smoked some cigarettes before taking his life.
Scene of crime officers from Central Police station, Kampala visited the scene and took the body to Mulago National Referral Hospital morgue for postmortem. The officers also recorded statements from several staff of Fairway hotel.
Police are currently interviewing Sangir’s relatives and friends to understand what could have prompted him to take his own life. Owoyesigyire said investigators were reviewing CCTV footage from Fairway Hotel to understand whether anybody accessed his room during night hours.
Sangir’s death comes a few days after an Italian national, Pierluigi Ruiliano Benni was found lying dead in a pool of blood. Preliminary investigations show that Benni shot himself using a private licensed star pistol serial number UG IND T1102-06A01087 00241.
Benni, who also possessed a Uganda Passport, was a resident of Bulago islands at the home of Lucas Bally, a Swiss national and a businessman living in Kampala.
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