Bhabha Atomic Centre staffer's body found in well

Mumbai: The body of a staffer of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) was found floating in a well in the second case of suspected suicide in a month.

Subash Sonawane (46), a tradesman working in the Waste Management Division of BARC, had entered the premises at 8 this morning. His body was found after around two hours in a well near the Waste Immobilization Plant (WIP), a press release issued by BARC said.

Sonawane, who had joined BARC in February 1998, is survived by his wife and one son. He has been undergoing psychiatric treatment for schizo affective disorder for 12 years in the BARC hospital, the release said, adding he had in 1999 also attempted to kill himself. The suburban Trombay police is investigating the case to ascertain if there was any foul play.

In March this year, a 27-year-old woman, Titas Pal working as a scientist in BARC, committed suicide by hanging herself from the ceiling fan at her residence in the BARC quarters. In the same month, the decomposed body of Mahadev Iyer, a BARC researcher, was recovered from his residence in the BARC quarters. While the police had initially suspected it to be a suicide, it later claimed Iyer was murdered.