Sealed Shops, Five Years in Court, Sealed Again: Surat Couple Now Pleads for Mercy Death

A Surat couple battling SMC harassment over sealed shops pleads for mercy death after years of legal and civic ordeal.

By Pranjal Gupta

New Delhi, June 22: An elderly couple in Gujarat's Surat lost nine members of their family in an accident in 2026. The couple had 12 shops in the Bamroli gram panchayat, which were sealed by the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) in 2021. They approached the Gujarat High Court and received clearance to reopen their shops after five years of legal battle. The seals were removed in January 2026, only to be placed again in May. "Harassed" by the civic body, the couple pleaded with Surat district collector Tejas Parmar for mercy death, or euthanasia.

Shyam Gehlot is 73 years old, while his wife, Madhu, is 68. Originally from Rajasthan, the couple has been living in Surat's Pandesara area after losing their family. "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," the couple said in a letter to the collector.

Shyam and Madhu Gehlot, who losAt nine family members, seek euthanasia amid prolonged harassment by Surat civic authorities. (Representative, AI-Generated Image)

The couple's troubles began after the plots of their 12 shops came under the SMC's jurisdiction. "In 2021, without citing any reason, our shops were sealed by the SMC," Gehlot told reporters. "After the High Court's order, we approached the fire department to ensure fire safety in our establishments. However, they told us that such measures are applicable only to large establishments. Still, we arranged fire extinguishers, and our shops were reopened," he said.

According to Gehlot, SMC officials returned on 30 May and sealed the shops again without serving any prior notice. When Gehlot raised the matter with SMC executive Bhairav Desai, he was allegedly directed to seek help from local leaders.

Desai said, "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 remaining properties is yet to be submitted by Gehlot."

He added that there is a dispute between the Gehlot couple and local persons. Desai said certain documents must be submitted to regularise the properties under the Gujarat Regularisation of Unauthorised Development (GRUDA) Act, 2022.

(With Inputs from news agency PTI)