Why I suspect ghosts and demons are behind Gaurav Tiwari's death

Can demons kill you?

Drive you to despair till you kill yourself?

Can dark spirits from haunted sites cling on to you, and wind themselves about you, till you squeeze the life out of yourself?

The sudden suicide of paranormal investigator Gaurav Tiwari left many wondering. While police investigations continue, it is inevitable that we will speculate as to what “really” caused his death.

Did the hunter become the hunted?

I never knew Gaurav Tiwari, but when I read that he had visited 6,000 haunted sites, I couldn’t help but wonder - did the shadows of so many places still linger upon him? Was the darkness he spoke of in the days before his death, a manifestation which he could feel.

I was surprised when I read that Gaurav felt Bhangarh Fort was not haunted. I have been there twice, and each time, the strange energies which shift through the old fort have been palpable.

There are photographs I had taken which show glowing spirit orbs hovering, almost “watching”.

The spirit world, especially the darker side of it, can be deceptive. It can lull one into a false sense of security, even as it watches and lurks around the corner. At Bhangarh, there is a power, which has an awareness.

I wonder - did something from that old fort, toy with this young man, and seep into his subconscious? Did Bhangarh’s dark energies, play a deadly game with this young investigator?

Aokighara Forest at the base of Mount Fuji in Japan has a strange effect on people. It is believed to drive people to suicide. Amongst the dense trees, bodies are often found hanging from branches. Till date it has seen more than 500 suicides. No wonder it has been named Suicide Forest.It is very possible that the darkness of many of the sites Gaurav had visited settled upon his shoulders, adding on, over the months and years, till it started affecting him. Spirits, like people, have their own personalities. Some may be benign. But what of those which are malefic? Who manifest in hideous forms, who cause illness and disruption?

In India, there is a well-known building on Pedder Road in Mumbai. It gained notoriety when strangers started walking into the building, going to the top floor, and jumping off. The site was like a magnet for suicide. Many “victims” were young girls from a nearby women’s college, who would walk in in broad daylight and then plunge to their deaths.

Also read - 6 things to know about 'ghost hunter' Gaurav Tiwari. What haunted his world?

Not only places, but even people, can carry demonic forces which can manifest themselves. When I read about his visiting a possessed girl in Janakpuri in Delhi the day before the death, a strange thought struck me. Did Gaurav become the unwitting victim of his last “case”?

Was the burden too heavy? There have been cases where a spirit entity, specially a demonic one can transfer onto an object, or even a person. Did the entity believed to be possessing the girl in Delhi, seek and find a vessel in this young man?

Demonic beings carry the deepest darkness with them. They are often archaic, and go back to ancient times and are found in various religions across the world called Satan, Shaitan, and many more.

Do they walk amongst us? Can we recognise them? Ancient lore says they can be seen as mirrors. They may be hiding behind the faces of those we know. Or they may be dark shapes which flit about the house.

Paranormal work goes beyond simply gadgets and batteries. It cannot be treated as either as a parlour game or a nine to five profession.

Also read - How to tell you're in a haunted house

I feel work of this nature needs a spiritual core of purpose and strength. Gaurav had perhaps taken on too much too soon, before he was ready to handle the onslaught of the dark. I hope his spirit now finds the light which he brought to many.