Surat, Oct 8 (IANS): A gem artist living in the Varachha area here hung himself to death at his residence on Tuesday. His family said that the diamond company he worked for withheld a bonus and that led him to take the extreme step.

The Varachha police have launched an investigation into the matter.

The deceased, identified as Ram Nagina Singh, was employed at Asian Star Diamond Company. According to the family, Singh had been under significant stress for two days after the company informed him that no bonus would be provided due to the ongoing recession in the diamond industry. The family alleged that this financial pressure and denial of the bonus drove him to take this fatal step.

Police investigations revealed that over the past two days, more than 500 gem artists working for the company had protested by staying away from work, demanding the promised bonuses. The recession in the diamond industry has led to significant financial strain, with workers receiving only Rs 15,000 to 20,000 per month in recent months, compared to their usual earnings of Rs 50,000 to 60,000. The company's refusal to grant bonuses further exacerbated the situation for many workers, including Singh.

According to the family, Singh, unable to cope with the mounting financial burden, hung himself. Based on the family's complaint, the Varachha Police have taken necessary actions and are investigating the matter.

The diamond sector employs over 1.3 million people nationwide and is primarily centred in Gujarat's Surat, home to over 800,000 workers. However, the industry is currently grappling with a sharp decline in activity, driven by global and domestic challenges that have severely impacted import and export operations over the past three years.

One key factor contributing to the downturn is the disruption of rough diamond supplies to India, triggered by international conflicts such as the Russia-Ukraine war and the escalating situation in Israel. These conflicts have hampered the flow of raw materials, forcing many factories to close or drastically reduce working hours, leading to defaults and job losses.