An elderly couple from Gujarat’s Surat has sought permission for euthanasia, alleging years of “physical, mental and financial harassment” by civic authorities and local political figures.
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Shyam Gehlot, 73, and his wife Madhu, 68, recently submitted a letter to Surat District Collector Tejas Parmar, claiming they had been pushed to the brink after a prolonged dispute over their properties, news agency PTI reported.
The couple, who originally hail from Rajasthan and now live alone in Surat’s Pandesara area, said they have been struggling for years to resolve issues related to a dozen shops they purchased in what was then the Bamroli gram panchayat area, later brought under the jurisdiction of the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC).
In their June 19 letter, the couple wrote: “Request for permission for euthanasia (mercy death) due to continuous unbearable physical, mental and financial harassment by the executive engineer of Udhna South Zone, Surat Municipal Corporation and certain political persons.”
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Couple sheres ordeal
Speaking to reporters, Gehlot said the dispute began in 2021 when municipal authorities sealed their shops. “In 2021, without citing a reason, our shops were sealed by SMC,” PTI quoted him as saying.
The couple subsequently approached the Gujarat high court and fought a legal battle that lasted nearly five years.
“After the high court’s order, we approached the fire department to ensure fire safety in our establishments. However, they told us that measures are only applicable to large establishments. Still, we arranged fire extinguishers and our shops were opened,” he said.
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The shops were reportedly unsealed on January 31, 2026. However, Gehlot claimed that municipal officials returned on May 30 and sealed 11 of the 12 shops again without issuing any prior notice.
He further alleged that SMC executive engineer Bhairav Desai had suggested that the couple meet local political leaders to resolve the matter.
Civic official cites pending documentation
Municipal authorities have disputed the couple’s version of events and said the action was taken under existing regulations.
Speaking to PTI, Desai said one of the properties had been reopened after the required impact fee was approved, but documentation for the remaining properties was still pending.
“In 2021, his (Gehlot’s) properties were sealed; however, the impact fee of one property was approved, so it was opened. The documentation for the impact fee of the rest of the properties is yet to be submitted by Gehlot,” Desai said.
He also said there was an ongoing dispute between the couple and some local residents.
According to the official, the remaining properties can be regularised under the Gujarat Regularisation of Unauthorised Development (GRUDA) Act, 2022, but the necessary documents must first be submitted.
The latest development comes after a devastating personal loss suffered by the couple nearly a decade ago. In 2016, the Gehlots lost nine members of their family in an accident. Since then, the elderly couple have been living by themselves in Surat.
What euthanasia means in India
For the unversed, euthanasia remains a highly restricted practice in India, unlike several western countries such as the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and Spain, as well as some parts of Canada and the United States, where it is permitted under specific legal frameworks.
Earlier this year, India saw its first court-approved case of passive euthanasia when the Supreme Court allowed the withdrawal of life support for 32-year-old Harish Rana, a Ghaziabad resident who had been in a coma for more than 13 years.
Rana suffered a severe head injury after falling from the fourth floor of his paying guest accommodation in Chandigarh in 2013 while he was an engineering student.
In a landmark order issued on March 11, the Supreme Court upheld Rana’s “right to die” and permitted the withdrawal of artificial life support after all required medical and legal procedures were completed.
Passive euthanasia involves the gradual withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment, such as artificial nutrition, oxygen support and medication, while ensuring the patient remains free from distress through pain management and palliative sedation.
(With PTI inputs)
