'Felt trapped due to family obligations': Surat man chops off four fingers under work pressure

A 32-year-old computer operator in Surat severed four fingers on his left hand due to work-related stress, according to Surat police.

The man initially reported to police on December 8th that he had been attacked and his fingers cut off by an unknown assailant while urinating near Vedant Circle. He claimed to have lost consciousness during the attack.

However, the Detection of Crime Branch (DCB) investigation revealed inconsistencies in his story. The man’s belongings including his motorcycle, phone, and cash were untouched. Cops also could not find any evidence of an attack. After confronting him with evidence, the man confessed to self-inflicting the injury.


He explained to police that he felt trapped in his job due to family obligations, as his employer was a relative of his father. He purchased a butcher knife several days before the incident and severed his fingers in an attempt to escape the stressful situation. He then led police to the location where he discarded the knife and his severed fingers, which were subsequently recovered.

"In the first attempt, he managed to chop off three fingers, and he struck again to sever the fourth," a police officer said.

The man, a civil engineering graduate, earns approximately Rs 50,000 a month and supports his wife and two-year-old daughter. His father is a farmer.

“I was under immense stress due to work pressure and didn't want to continue at the job. I resorted to this extreme step to escape the situation,” the man said. Police have stated they will not take legal action against him.

The incident follows a recent controversy involving workplace stress, where a startup was accused of firing employees for reporting stress.

YesMadam, a Shark Tank-famed startup and tech-enabled platform for home salon and beauty services, later issued a clarification amid a social media backlash, saying: "We sincerely apologize for any distress caused by recent social media posts suggesting we dismissed employees for being stressed. Let us be clear: We would never take such an inhuman step. Our team is like family, and their dedication, hard work, and passion are the foundation of all our successes. The social media posts were a planned effort to highlight the serious issue of workplace stress. And to those who shared angry comments or voiced strong opinions, we say thank you."