Zubair Ahmed, 48, a senior journalist primarily based within the Andaman and Nicobar Islands was discovered useless inside a college, with police saying that prima facie, it appeared like a suicide and that an investigation was underway. He was a resident of Wimberlygunj in South Andaman.
Ahmed, who had been vital in social media posts of some actions of the Andaman and Nicobar Administration, was arrested in April 2020 after he tweeted asking why households have been being positioned underneath dwelling quarantine for talking with Covid-19 sufferers over the telephone. He was booked underneath sections 51 (punishment for obstruction) and 54 (punishment for false warning) of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, in addition to sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 269 (negligent act prone to unfold an infection of illness), 270 (malignant act prone to unfold an infection of illness) and 505(1)(b) (inflicting worry or alarm to the general public) of the IPC. In 2021, the case in opposition to him was quashed by the Calcutta High Court.
“We recovered the body, with a rope around the neck, on Thursday night inside the Crescent Public School in Wimberlygunj, South Andaman. After post-mortem, the body was handed over to family members. Prima facie it seems like a suicide, but investigation is on,” a senior police officer from South Aandaman stated.
According to members of the family, Ahmed was the executive head of the college.
“On Thursday, he returned home at around 3.30 pm and spent time with his wife and three children. After some time, he took his scooty and went out. When he did not return late evening, we searched for him. His body was found in the school premises with a rope around his neck… Forensic personnel found two pen drives from his pocket,” Ahmed’s cousin Najeeb Siddiqui informed The Indian Express over the telephone.
Siddiqui stated Ahmed had been affected by melancholy for the final 10 years and had been present process remedy. “Last Sunday, I met him and he was fine. It was not his illness. But I think he was depressed that he cannot whole heartedly practice full time journalism. He was trying to bring out his own newspaper and even named it ‘Sunday Islander’. He spoke with me and others about the project and we told him we will support it. But somehow the project could not be done. This may be the cause, we do not know. We do not believe that because of his illness he committed suicide,” Siddiqui added.
Ahmed’s final rites have been carried out on Friday.
According to family and friends members, Ahmed continued to jot down items on-line after his arrest and bail. He had additionally not too long ago been very energetic on social media, criticising sure strikes of the administration.
Denis Giles, editor of The Andaman Chronicle and a pal of Ahmed’s, informed The Indian Express: “I cannot accept that he committed suicide because of his mental illness and depression. He was on medication and was open about it. He used to share it with everyone, including me. Recently, he was very active on Twitter highlighting wrongdoings of the administration. There must be some other reason (for his death).”
Another pal of his, Muhammed Ali, stated: “We were childhood friends. I am shocked after hearing the news. He had an illness for a decade. He visited hospitals in Bengaluru and was under medication. But I do not think that drove him to suicide. Maybe there are other issues.”
