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'Out of character': Jay Kantaria, 38, had been looking forward to his daughter’s birthday party when he leapt onto train tracks last October

A City high flier jumped ‘feet first’ in front of a train after leaving his job at an investment management company to spend more time with his family, an inquest heard today.

Jay Kantaria, 38, from Harrow, north-west London, had been looking forward to his daughter’s birthday party when he leapt onto the tracks at his local station of Sudbury Hill.

But a coroner recorded an open verdict on the cause of death, saying there was 'doubt' as to Mr Kantaria's intention when he jumped as a train passed through the station last October.

North London Coroner's Court in Barnet was told the businessman had ‘recently’ left his senior position at Baring Asset Management to start a career in property development.

The London School of Economics graduate died instantly of ‘a severe traumatic brain injury’ and had to be identified from his fingerprints. 

Coroner Andrew Walker expressed his ‘deepest sympathies’ to Mr Kantaria’s 37-year-old wife, Monica, and his surviving family.

He said Nairobi-born Mr Kantaria had worked as the chairman's assistant at Baring, but had decided to become a property developer.

The coroner said the cause of death was ‘a severe traumatic brain injury’, consistent with being struck by a rapidly-moving train.

Mr Kantaria had no alcohol or drugs in his system and did not suffer from any known psychiatric problems, Mr Walker added.

Location: Mr Kantaria leapt onto the tracks at his local station of Sudbury Hill (above) in north-west London

Train driver Michael Hughes recounted how Mr Kantaria ‘seemed to have a good look at my train’.

Mr Hughes said in a statement: ‘I then lost sight of him. When I passed the bridge I saw who I believe to be the same male run to the edge of the platform and jump feet-first.'

He added that he felt no impact but immediately activated the emergency brake and called for help.

Detective Constable Terry Hancocks from British Transport Police said: ‘The line speed was 100mph. He [Mr Hughes] was travelling at about 85mph’.

The investigator said Mr Kantaria ‘appears to move from the platform... and then he is caught by the camera just in the air, before being struck by the train’.

The coroner advised Mr Kantaria’s family not to view stills from the CCTV footage.

Scene: The businessman died instantly of ‘a severe traumatic brain injury’ at the station (seen from above)

Mr Hancocks said: ‘I did speak to Mrs Kantaria. The gentleman had just given up his job to spend more time with his wife and children and it was completely, completely out of character. As far as the family are concerned, it was completely out of the blue.’

When the coroner indicated he was ready to record the death as a suicide, Mrs Kantaria, a senior auditor at JP Morgan Chase, said: ‘He had everything to live for. 

'He was looking forward to his daughter’s birthday party the following week. There is no reason I have to believe that he intended his life to come to an end.’

The coroner replied: ‘In the circumstances, I think there is a doubt in my mind about what his intention was, so I am going to leave the conclusion open. Jay Kantaria jumped in front of a train at Sudbury Hill station and died. 

'The conclusion, for the reason I have said, is an open conclusion. There is no evidence to suggest he was at risk of bringing his life to an end. He had everything to live for and it just doesn’t seem to make sense.’

Mr Kantaria had also worked at Wellington Management and Halbis CapitalManagement - and had strengths in ‘communication and relationship management’, according to his Linkedin profile.

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Jay Kantaria, 38, leapt onto tracks at Sudbury Hill station in NW London

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He had recently left investment firm to start property development career 

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Family say he had 'everything to live for' and death was 'out of the blue'

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Coroner records open verdict as case 'just doesn’t seem to make sense'