Nagpur: An internet savvy, or rather net addictive youth had to pay with his life the cost of seeking medical advice from Google – the master search engine around the globe. The deceased, idetified as Paritosh Suresh Chikhalkar, 27, took to self medication for weight loss, allegedly on the basis of Google’s search results, and this turned lethal for him. Paritosh was the resident of Plot No. 4, Durga Nagar, MIDC. The incident came to light after the investigation into the death of Paritosh last year showed up the facts. The probe revealed that the deceased had gained information about the medicine to reduce weight on Google search engine.
Paritosh had reportedly gone missing on April 4, 2017. His decomposed body was found after four days in the jungles of Ghoghali village near Besa on April 8, 2017. Police seized a bag, a water bottle,a mobile phone and empty strips of Quetiapine medicine from the spot.
The devastated parents of Paritosh suspected that someone had killed their son and urged police to investigate the case. Police started probing the angles of murder, suicide and accidental death. The post-mortem report stated no injury or marks were found on the body, ruling out the murder angle. To investigate poisoning angle, police sent Viscera for forensic analysis to ascertain whether Paritosh’s heart, lungs, abdomen, liver, pancreas and intestines had any signs of poison. The viscera report also mentioned ‘no poisoning’.
As the last resort when the cops started checking the deceased’s digital footprints the role of medicine recovered from the spot stunned the investigators. Kishor Choudhary, Police Inspector, Hudkeshwar Police Station informed that Paritosh’s Google search history helped them establish link with the medicine recovered from the spot.
Paritosh, a graduate in Biotechnology, was preparing for the MPSC for last three years. He was under depression after failing the examination. Obesity was also the reason for his frustration and he was searching medicines to reduce weight. When the deceased’s mobile phone was unlocked after several attempts police got a crucial lead after studying his Google search history.
DCP, Zone IV Nilesh Bharne said that Paritosh was searching for dosage, usage and disadvantages of Quetiapine pills on Google for a week. His queries included; How to lose weight? How to lose weight by medicine? Methods to lose weight by Quetiapine medicine? Incidentally, he had also read reports of three persons dying due to overdose of combination of Quetiapine and Homoeopathic medicine. The medicine was prescribed by a doctor to his mother and Paritosh used to bring it for her.
Out of three strips of Quetiapine recovered from the spot, two strips were empty and a strip was having just seven tablets. It means Paritosh might have consumed 23 tablets. Police had also sent a query to manufacturer of the medicine who said overdose of the medicine can cause death of a person.
