In a shocking incident, a former jockey turned assistant trainer, Kaustubh R Bhagat, a Pune resident, has reportedly committed suicide in Varanasi in the early hours of Thursday morning.

It is learnt that the deceased, known in the racing circles as Kaustubh, left his residence on Sunday night after informing his family that he is going to New Delhi but did not return home.

His family subsequently filed a missing person complaint at Undri Police Chowky, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Kondhwa Police Station. Although the details of Kaustubh death are sketchy, it is reliably learnt that his family received a call from Varanasi Police yesterday morning informing them of the recovery of Kaustubh's dead body. Kaustubh's brother has reportedly left for Varanasi immediately.

It is being speculated that Kaustubh, seemed to be under severe depression recently due to unspecified financial distress but he never gave any hint to his family or close friends about his decision to end his life.

According to reliable sources, before committing suicide, Kaustubh had spoken to several professionals and also with Shujaat Hussain, the chief professional steward of the Royal Western India Turf Club and informed them of his intention to commit suicide.

Senior officials of RWITC, however, refused to confirm or comment on the issue saying that the matter is under police investigation and they would not like to vitiate the matter.

Kaustubh, in his early forties, had given up his professional jockey's license in 2002 to become an assistant to trainer HJ Antia and worked under him till date.

Kaustubh had unsuccessfully tried to become an independent horse trainer a few years ago.

Kaustubh is survived by an aged mother, two elder brothers, wife and a teenaged son. 

By Usman Rangeela, Mumbai Mirror