The traumatised activist who got last call from Parmar telling him about drastic step he would take; deceased also called up several other people
"Hasmukh, Hasmukh why did you do this? Why did you jump? Somebody please help, the man is dying…" yelled activist Bharatsinh Jhala as he saw Hasmukh Parmar (22) jump off the Gandhi Bridge.
Jhala was still traumatised by the scene he saw on Thursday evening at Gandhi Bridge. He choked as he spoke of the man he was to fight for. "I was on my way to attend a women's meeting on CG Road, when activist Jignesh Mewani called me, asking me to reach the spot immediately, as our office is close to the bridge.
Activist Hemant Trivedi and I were nearing the place in our auto-rickshaw, when Hasmukh leapt off the bridge. I jumped off the speeding auto, only to see him pop out of the water twice. I screamed out for help."
Jhala said that fire brigade officials reached the spot but Hasmukh was found dead. "I tried to console him at around 2.15pm when we last spoke." He asked me, 'Jhala saheb, what is to be done if I have to go on hunger strike on Friday?'
I replied, 'Nothing, we just need permission from Ellisbridge police station. Don't worry about anything… we will fight till the end.' To this Hamukh promptly replied, 'Television is showing that doctors of VS hospital are on strike and an FIR has been filed against my relatives and I. They will not accept my appeal to sit on a hunger strike.'"
"He was upset and scared of the future. The doctors went on strike and pushed Hasmukh to commit suicide. This is murder, not suicide, everyone should take note of this", Jhala asserted.
Hasmukh had also called Mewani, spelling out his plans to end his life. "He had called me thrice during the day. I took the third call, at around 4.15pm. He sounded desperate, upset and scared. I said I would meet him in the evening, but I did not know that this was his last call."
As Mewani rushed to the spot, DNA reporter Nikunj Soni called up the fire brigade. On receiving the fire brigade's call, Mewani gave them Hasmukh's number and name but it was too late.
"It was tough handling a mourning father, Prahlad, who too wanted to jump into the river as he had lost three members of his family -- son, wife and baby. He made three attempts to end his life," said a tearful Mewani.
Hasmukh told Mewani about the doctors of VS Hospital going on strike and that he was scared because of the FIR filed against him. He feared there would be police action against his relatives and him. He was upset that the authorities were not taking action against the doctor, and were more concerned about who struck the doctors.
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