Suicide by two brothers in Agra: Cops finally wake up to book SHO, SI

After the deaths by suicide of two brothers within a span of three days, police registered a case against the station in-charge of Sadabad police station and its sub inspector, in the Hathras district. They have been booked under section 306 (abatement of suicide) of Indian Penal Code at Barhan police station of Agra district.

“The station house officer at Sadabad police station, Mukesh Kumar, has been removed and sent to the police lines, while the sub inspector, Hari Om Agnihotri, has been suspended. A probe has been ordered,” said Shalabh Mathur, the inspector general (IG) of Aligarh Range, on Monday.

“The additional superintendent of police is assigned the probe and will take into consideration all relevant facts mentioned including suicide note found. Further action will be taken on getting the report from the ASP,” Mathur said.

Two brothers from village Roopdhanu, within the limits of Barhan police station of Agra district, had allegedly died by suicide within a span of three days. The body of the younger brother, Sanjay Singh, 42, was found hanging from a tree on Saturday, while the elder brother was found dead on Monday.

The death of the younger brother, Sanjay, disturbed Pramod, 50, who is a home guard at Khandoli in Agra. On Monday, his body was found hanging from a tree in the village. A suicide note, blaming the Sadabad police, was found in his hand.

Angry villagers and family members revealed that Laxman, the brother-in-law of Sanjay, had allegedly eloped with a girl. Sanjay was picked up by the Sadabad police for questioning in this connection.

Agitated villagers blamed the manner in which the police handled the death of the two brothers in three days. They did not allow the police to take the body of Pramod for a post-mortem examination and force had to be deployed in the area on Monday.

Later at midnight, a case was registered on the complaint of Jaswant Kumar aka Pappu Chauhan, a resident of village in Khandoli, brother-in-law of Pramod Kumar.

In the FIR, Jaswant Kumar alleged that the in-charge of the Sadabad police station and Agnihotri, were threatening his brother-in-law over the phone. This was after Sanjay had already committed suicide on June 22 on being harassed and threatened by the Sadabad police.

“Pramod Kumar had informed police authorities about the incident and had moved a complaint seeking registration of a case against guilty officers at Sadabad police station. Police took no action and instead harassed and terrorised Pramod Kumar for complaining in the matter relating to the suicide by his brother,” the complainant noted in the FIR.

“Finding no way out, Pramod Kumar committed suicide on Monday, leaving a suicide note blaming the Sadabad police officials,” the FIR read.

The deputy commissioner of police (West), Agra Rural, Sonam Kumar, on Tuesday, said that appropriate and required action will be taken in the matter after registering of the case.