'Pistol in hand': Bhel general manager found dead at Tamil Nadu office

TRICHY: A senior officer of Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (Bhel) was found dead in his office with a gunshot wound and a pistol in his hand in the wee hours of Wednesday.
Sources said that M Shanmugam (50), general manager at Seamless Steel Tube Plant (SSTP), left for work as usual around 9 am on Tuesday morning but did not return home that evening. Since he occasionally worked late, his family was not initially concerned.
However, when his wife was unable to reach him despite repeated calls, she contacted the Bhel security team for assistance. Upon reaching his office, they found the room locked from inside and forcibly broke the door open and discovered him lying dead with a gunshot wound. Subsequently, the boiler plant police, forensic teams arrived at the scene, and his body was sent to Thuvakudi govt hospital for a post-mortem examination.
Police said that they have registered the case as a suicide and further investigation is underway to determine how Shanmugam acquired the firearm and managed to bring a firearm into the Bhel facility.
Shanmugam had been associated with bhel for over 25 years and was recently promoted as a general manager. He was transferred to Trichy Bhel in Aug in 2024. In recent times, he had been suffering from cardiovascular issues and was on medication. He is a second generation Bhel employee and is survived by his wife and daughter, who is currently pursuing a B Tech degree at a private college.