Odisha man allegedly dies by suicide after online betting loss

By Pravakar Sahoo

Bhubaneswar, Nov. 12: A 31-year-old man from Odisha’s Kendrapara district, identified as Achyutananda Sahoo, reportedly died by suicide after a significant financial loss in online betting.

Sahoo, who worked as a hotel staffer in Jharsuguda town, allegedly took his life by jumping in front of a moving train near Jharsuguda railway station.

Sources indicate that Sahoo had texted his mother about a personal loan of approximately Rs 25 lakh that he had taken out. It is believed that the mounting pressure of being unable to repay this debt drove him to take the drastic step.

“He (Achyutananda) reported to the hotel in the morning around 7:00 AM and completed his shift, leaving at around 4:00 PM to return to his room in the staff quarters,” shared Pradipta Kumar Sahu, the hotel’s facility manager. “When I spoke with him in the morning, he showed no signs of distress. He was a head cashier and a well-liked employee.”

Later that evening, around 9:30 PM, the hotel manager received a call from one of Sahoo’s family members, informing him about a message Sahoo had sent to his family. “I immediately informed Jharsuguda Town police station and requested they help locate him,” the manager added.

Preliminary investigation, along with messages from Sahoo’s phone, suggests he died by suicide due to financial losses from online betting. However, Jharsuguda GRP Inspector-in-Charge Santosh Mirdha noted that the final cause of death will be confirmed pending the post-mortem report.