GHAZIABAD: Blaming inflation for pushing him to the brink, a 21-year-old worker in a paint factory killed himself by hanging from a ceiling fan in Loni, Ghaziabad on Monday.

The victim, Bharat Tomar, cited rising prices as the reason for taking the extreme step. “No person is responsible for my death. The only reason is mahangai (price rise),” he wrote in a suicide note.

Police said Bharat had been facing financial problems which were compounded by high rate of inflation. “The boy was looking for a better job but was unable to find one,” said a police officer.

Tomar, originally from Mathura, was found hanging in the paint factory where he worked. “I have nothing against anyone, nor do I have any problems with my family. I am just fed up with my life,” said his suicide note.

“Insaan kare bhi toh kya kare? Na hi acchi naukri hai upar se mahangai itni ki jeena mushkil hai (what can a man do? I do not have a good job and on top of that, inflation has made life difficult),” he wrote.

Tomar apologized profusely to his family and asked the authorities to ensure that his savings were transferred to his family. “I couldn’t do anything in my lifetime for my family,” he regretfully wrote.

On Monday, Tomar’s family initially alleged he was killed. “There was no pressure from our end. I think it’s a murder that has been made to look like a suicide,” said Sunil Tomar, his brother who has been referred to in the suicide note. In the note, Bharat had also referred to his brother, saying, “You have always been there for me. I love you”.

However, police confirmed Tomar had killed himself. “The marks made by the rope on the neck have conclusively shown during the autopsy that it was a suicide,” said S H Yadav, SP City, Ghaziabad

Sunil said Bharat earned Rs 5,000 a month. His family had been planning to help him set up a shop to make him financially independent. “I run a small garments shop and we had been trying to help Bharat set up his own shop. He had been unhappy about the financial condition of the family,” said Sunil.