A station officer posted at Walterganj police station in Uttar Pradesh’s Basti district was found hanging at his government residence near the Collectorate complex, police said.
Basti range DIG Sanjeev Tyagi on Saturday said that station officer (SO) Surya Prakash Singh (57) was found hanging in his room at the government residence in the Kotwali police station area.
He had arrived there with his colleagues at 1 pm; the accompanying staff members had stayed back at the Civil Lines police outpost, he said.
When one of his colleagues visited the room in the evening, he discovered that Singh was hanging from the ceiling fan, Tyagi said.
Police and a forensic team arrived at the scene and conducted a detailed analysis of the incident, the DIG said, adding that no suicide note was recovered from the spot.
Prima facie, the incident appears to be a case of suicide, he said.
Senior police officials were immediately informed, and a police team, comprising Tyagi, SP Yashveer Singh, the ASP and the circle officer, arrived at the spot, sources said.
Singh's body was sent for a post-mortem examination, police said.
According to police sources, the last WhatsApp status update the SO posted on his personal mobile number before his death read: "Wealth is essential, but not more important than peace and love."
A native of Azamgarh district, Singh is survived by his wife, two daughters and a son.
In 1991, he joined the police force as a head constable and became a sub-inspector in 2014-15.
Further investigation was underway, police added.
HELPLINE
If you are having suicidal thoughts, or are worried about a friend or need emotional support, someone is always there to listen. Call Sneha Foundation - 04424640050,
Tele Manas - 14416 (available 24x7) or Call, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences’ helpline - 02225521111, which is available Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 10 pm.
(With inputs from PTI)