Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Encyclopedia Britannica allegedly committed suicide by jumping from a ventilator shaft in his 19th floor residential complex of a DlF phase-III building in Gurgaon on Sunday morning.
According to police officials, a suicide note was found in COO Vineet Whig’s pocket and it read, “I am taking my own life, no one is responsible. I am unable to cope. I am sorry. I am depressed. I see no way out except for suicide. Yes, I am a coward. I should have faced life.”
Whig lived in Block-D of DlF Belvedere Park with his wife, two sons, a daughter and his father who suffered a heart attack after receiving the news of Whig’s death.
“Prima Facie it appears that Whig had appeared early at his office with a made-up mind to attempt suicide and therefore he jumped off from the building but we will look into every angle to substantiate the cause of his death,” said a senior police officer.
The body was found in the shaft of Block-C by sweepers when they went to clean it at 9 am on Sunday, said officials, adding that they informed the society security control room which told the family and thereafter police were informed at 9.45 am.
The family members said Whig went out for his morning walk, but did not return home on his usual time, but they did not find anything suspicious as sometimes he would get late.
“CCTV footage is being examined to verify the details and ascertain the sequence of events,” said the officer. Also, the top executive had worked with IT giant Wipro before joining Britannica.