An Indian man who bought one of the world's
most expensive shirts made entirely of gold has
been allegedly battered to death, police said.
An Indian businessman, Datta Phuge, who made
headlines in 2013 for purchasing a shirt made
entirely of gold has been beaten to death in
western India, according to a report on Friday.
headlines in 2013 for purchasing a shirt made
entirely of gold has been beaten to death in
western India, according to a report on Friday.
Datta gained fame when he ordered a customised
gold shirt worth 12.7 million rupees, around
$240,000 at the time. It was made up of 14,000g
pieces of 22-carat gold, weighed 3.32
kilogrammes (7.3 pounds) and was put together
by 15 craftsmen over 16 days.
The hefty garment earned Phuge – a money lender
from Pune in Maharashtra state – the moniker
“gold man” , a title he cherished.
Police said Phuge, believed to be in his mid-40s,
was attacked and killed by 12 assailants
brandishing stones and sharp weapons on
Thursday night after one of the suspects had
invited him for a party, according to the Press
Trust of India news agency.
“As per preliminary information, Phuge and his son
were invited by one of the suspects, who know
each other, to celebrate a birthday. However, we
are investigating how Phuge reached the open
ground where he was murdered,” PTI quoted local
police inspector Navnath Ghogare as saying.
Phuge’s 22-year-old son witnessed his father being
murdered and had been spared by the alleged
killers, he added, saying police suspected the
motive could have been a dispute over a money
transaction. Four suspects have been detained.
Phuge loved gold and the fame that came with his
shirt. “Everybody knows me as the ‘gold man’ in
the whole region. Other rich people spend one
crore (10 million rupees) to buy Audis or Mercedes,
to buy what they like. What crime have I done? I
just love gold,” he said in 2013.
“Gold has always been my passion since a young
age. I’ve always worn gold as jewellery in the form
of bracelets, rings, chains,” he added.
India is the world’s biggest consumer of gold, with
purchases an essential part of religious festivals
and weddings.
Source: The Guardian
