Beggar who died owing to starvation in Valsad town identified as Mukesh alias Mahesh Patel

Days after a beggar allegedly died from starvation in Valsad town, his relatives have finally come forward to identify him. The beggar was found to have a substantial amount of currency notes amounting to Rs 1.14 lakh at the time of his death, surprising many. Additionally, it was discovered that he owned a pucca house in the Dhobi talao area in Valsad town.

The deceased has been identified as Mukesh alias Mahesh Patel, a 60-year-old man. According to the police, Mukesh Patel was found lying immobile near Gandhi Library on Stadium Road when a local shoe shop owner alerted the 108 ambulance services. He was immediately taken to the Civil hospital for treatment but unfortunately died soon after.

Following his death, the Valsad town police initiated an investigation to identify the deceased and filed an accidental death complaint. A postmortem conducted at the Civil hospital showed that Mukesh Patel had not eaten for the two days preceding his demise.

After several unsuccessful attempts to identify the deceased, a breakthrough came when Dipak Ramesh Patel and his sister Jigisha Patel approached the police station on Wednesday evening. They claimed that Mukesh Patel was their uncle and provided documents to support their claim. The police thoroughly checked the submitted documents and subsequently handed over the body and the cash to Dipak and Jigisha Patel.

Police Inspector B D Jitiya revealed that Mukesh Patel was unmarried and had been mentally unstable since his mother’s death around 10 years ago. Furthermore, Mukesh’s elder brother had also passed away a few years ago. It was discovered that every 15 days, Mukesh would visit his house and then leave again. Statements were taken from 15 people residing near Mukesh’s house to gather additional information.

The case highlights the tragic circumstances faced by some individuals in society and the importance of identifying and supporting those in need. The police investigation will continue to shed light on the circumstances surrounding Mukesh Patel’s death and the reasons behind his dire financial situation.