Surat

A gem artist in the Varachha area of Surat tragically took his own life on Tuesday, with his family blaming the diamond company he worked for. The deceased, Ram Nagina Singh, was employed at Asian Star Diamond Company and had been stressed for two days after being informed that no bonuses would be issued due to the recession affecting the diamond industry. His family claims this financial strain pushed him to make this heartbreaking decision.

In the days leading up to his death, over 500 gem artists at the company protested, demanding the bonuses they had been promised. Workers in the industry have faced significant financial hardships, earning only ₹15,000 to ₹20,000 monthly, down from their usual ₹50,000 to ₹60,000.

The diamond sector, which employs over 1.3 million people in India, is struggling due to global challenges, including disruptions in rough diamond supplies caused by conflicts like the Russia-Ukraine war and tensions in Israel. The Varachha police have launched an investigation into Singh’s death based on his family’s complaint.