Japanese tourist in “religious’ suicide

PHUKET TOWN: Shindo Yuji, a 26-year-old Japanese tourist, committed suicide by jumping from his 16th-floor room at The Metropole hotel, Montri Rd, early on Thursday morning, say police. Pol Lt Kanuang Pitakulthon, of the Phuket Town Police Station, told the Gazette that hotel staff had called the police after discovering Mr Yuji’s body in the VIP car park. It is believed that the fall killed him instantly. Lt Kanuang said he believed that Mr Yuji’s suicide might have been inspired by his religious beliefs. In the pockets of the dead man’s jeans, which were all that he was wearing, police found a gold crucifix, a small blue pyramid and a Japanese prayer book. To get into Mr Yuji’s room, investigators had to force open the door, which was blocked with a dresser. Inside the room, they found that other furniture had been moved and that the sliding window was still open. There were no signs of violence, leading the officers to conclude that Mr Yuji had committed suicide. Police found salt all over the bathroom floor and a glass of salt on the table in the room, along with empty whisky and beer bottles. On the bed were a bible, two vibrators, Vaseline and pornographic books. In his luggage, police found several Viagra pills. Mr Yuji’s body was taken to the morgue at Wachira Hospital.