A trainee police sub inspector committed suicide by shooting himself with a relative's revolver in Ahmedabad's Chandlodiya locality, on Monday, 31 December 2018. PSI Devendra Singh Rathod (35), who was undergoing training at the Gujarat Police Academy in Karai, Gandhinagar, shot himself on Monday afternoon at his residence, Inspector DH Gadhvi of Sola police station said.
“On Monday afternoon, he told his wife that he was going to rest. His wife heard a gun-shot and rushed to the room and found him lying in a pool of blood, with a revolver by his side,” he said.
However, Rathod’s family has alleged that he was asked to engage in sexual encounters with the Deputy Superintendent of Police NP Patel during his training at Karai Academy. When he had denied, Patel had allegedly threatened to sack him.
What Happened on New Year’s Eve?
In his complaint, the deceased’s father Satyendra Singh alleged sexual harassment, mental harassment and discrimination by DySP NP Patel who is posted at the Karai Training Academy. According to the complaint, a day before the alleged suicide, Devendra seemed normal when he returned from training and everything at home was fine.
On 31 December Rathod left for Karai Training Academy at 4.45 am; before leaving home he told his father that he will take three days off from work for next weekend. According to the complaint, Devendra returned home around noon and between 1-2 pm shot himself in the first-floor bedroom using his brother-in-law’s gun.
The Quint spoke to the deceased’s elder brother Lalit Kumar Ranvir Singh who said that Devendra returned home at noon and seemed fine.
“His wife returned home with his daughter just as he reached home. He even took his little girl to the nearby shop and brought her toffees. Later, he told his wife that he will be in the upstairs bedroom. Around 1.45-2.00 pm he shot himself. His wife rushed upstairs to see him in a pool of blood and called the emergency number 108.”Lalit Kumar Ranvir Singh, Deceased’s Brother
The Suicide Note
Lalit claimed that when Devendra killed himself there was no man at home, just the women.
“The 108-emergency ambulance crew called the cops immediately who came to the spot and took over the scene. I reached around 3.30-4 pm. The cops first said that no suicide note was found at the scene; however, on cross questioning by the media the cops said that a 5-page suicide note was found from the spot. We have not seen it yet.”Lalit Kumar Ranvir Singh, Deceased’s Brother
According to Lalit, Rathod’s wife, Dimple, was aware of the stress her husband was facing at the training centre. Rathod’s wife alleged that for the past two months, Rathod seemed disturbed. He used to act normal in front of his mother and father, but he was a different person with his wife and would often break down in the middle of the night.
“My brother wore a mask in front of the family and always looked happy and satisfied. But he was facing severe depression thanks to the harassment he faced at work. He had confided in his wife about the sexual and mental harassment he faced and made her promise that she wouldn’t divulge anything to the family members.”
Dimple in her statement to the police has claimed that Patel was asking for sexual favours from Rathod. When he denied, Patel threatened to ruin his career and soon started insulting him in front of his colleagues for no reason and even started torturing him.
Family Refuses to Collect the Body
The family alleged delay in filing of FIR by the Sola police and demanded a probe by the Special Investigation Team in the matter, without which they would not collect the body.
“We had serious issues with the way the police was handling the matter. They wanted to dispose of the case and were urging us to take the body and cremate it. For us the person matters, and he is dead. The body is now the administration’s responsibility, to ensure that the investigation heads in the right direction. I feel they wanted us to cremate the body at the earliest so that any evidence on it will be destroyed for ever. The allegations are levied against a top brass officer, thus we fear they could be a cover up.”Lalit Kumar Ranvir Singh, Deceased’s Brother
Director General of Police Shivanand Jha transferred the probe to the Detection of Crime Branch. The DCB on Thursday booked a DSP NP Patel for allegedly sodomising the sub-inspector. Patel has been booked under IPC Section 377(Unnatural offences) and IPC Section 306 (Abetment of suicide), among other charges.
The family finally collected the body and conducted the last rites. The family is yet to receive a copy of the application, statement, post-mortem report, and suicide note from Sola Police. The cops refused to hand over the documents to the family, saying it was a sensitive issue.
“He was a qualified IT Engineer yet he wanted to be a part of the police force and toiled hard for 10 years to see his dreams come true. In fact he topped the selection process and was even took home an award handed to him by Chief Minister Vijay Rupani,” Lalit lamented.
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