BHOPAL: The Madhya Pradesh government has ordered a probe into the suicide of an ailing head constable after he was allegedly made to dig pits for the Swachchata programme on Gandhi Jayanti, Oct. 2.
The probe will be conducted by the additional superintendent of police of Morena district under the supervision of the inspector-general of Chambal range, IGP (Security) A K Singh said on Tuesday.
Head constable Ram Kumar Shukla, 55, drank poison in his quarters at the Raun police station on Monday. In two videos he made, one before consuming poison and the other after, Shukla stated that he was subjected to mental and physical harassment by the in-charge officer of the Raun police station, Surendra Singh Gaur.
The videos have gone viral on social media.
Shukla narrated that he was pruning plants at the police station as part of the Swachchata programme on Gandhi Jayanti when he was ordered by Gaur to pick up a spade and dig pits.
“Since I am a liver patient, I requested the officer not to make me do heavy tasks. Infuriated, he assaulted and abused me. He also telephoned the SP of Bhind and complained to him that I was creating a nuisance,” Shukla is seen alleging in the video.
The probe by higher officials will cover the veracity of charges made by Shukla in the video. It will also enquire into the role of the SP of Bhind Anil Singh Kushwah, who allegedly did not take note of the constable’s plea and instead threatened to send him back to police lines.
An audio tape of the telephonic conversation between head constable Shukla and the SP of Bhind has gone viral too. In it, Shukla is heard narrating his side of the incident and alleging rampant corruption in the Raun police station.
Receiving no response from the SP, the constable is heard saying that if he was ordered to go to police lines, he would not go alive. Shortly after this conversation, Shukla allegedly consumed poison and died a few hours later in hospital on Monday night.
The deceased constable’s family staged a protest at the Bhind kotwali on Tuesday. Opposition leaders joined the family in the protest. The constable’s relatives are demanding a case of abetment of suicide and criminal conspiracy to be lodged against both Surendra Singh Gaur and SP Anil Singh Kushwah. They are also demanding the suspension and arrest of the two officers.
Inspector-general (security) A K Singh said in Bhopal, “The probe will cover all angles. Officer Surendra Singh Gaur has already been removed from his post. But no action is being initiated against the SP Bhind as of now.”