BJP targets Olympian and MLA Krishna Poonia over suicide of Rajasthan SHO

The opposition BJP has been quick to allege that Vishnoi’s suicide was due to political pressure and harassment from local Congress MLA and three time Olympian Krishna Poonia.
2010 Commonwealth Games discus throw gold medalist Krishna Poonia. | PTI
2010 Commonwealth Games discus throw gold medalist Krishna Poonia. | PTI

JAIPUR: In Rajasthan, the mystery and political storm over the tragic suicide of SHO Vishnudutt Vishnoi in Churu district has intensified sharply after two suicide notes were found. The DGP of  Rajasthan Police Bhupendra Singh has in a statement testified that Vishnoi, the Station House Officer (SHO) of Rajgharh police station, was an honest and talented officer who was counted among the Top Ten SHOs in the state police force.

The opposition BJP has been quick to allege that Vishnoi’s suicide was due to political pressure and harassment from local Congress MLA and three time Olympian Krishna Poonia.

The two suicide notes left by Vishnoi, one addressed to the Superintendent of Police (SP) Churu and the other to his family, have raised a range of questions.

Besides several emotional comments, in his note to Churu SP, Vishnoi said, “Respected Madam please forgive me as there was a lot of pressure on me from all sides and I just could not take the tension anymore. Till my last breath, I’ve tried to serve the Rajasthan Police to the best of my ability. Please do not victimize anyone for my suicide. I did not lack courage but I just couldn’t take the tension anymore.”

In his note to his parents too, Vishnoi wrote, “I am your culprit as I’m making you sad in this advanced age. I was not a coward but I couldn’t take the tension anymore. Perhaps this is God’s will.”

Although Vishnoi has not blamed anyone in his suicide notes, soon after the tragedy, screenshots of an alleged WhatsApp chat between him and a social activist went viral on social media. In this chat held a day before his suicide, Bishnoi allegedly mentioned that he would seek voluntary retirement as there was an attempt to drag him into “dirty politics” in Rajgarh - aimed at trapping him.

To get to the bottom of this mess, the special CID team headed by SP Vikas Kumar Sharma has been asked to submit its report on the case within a week.

Outraged at the SHO’s suicide, people in Rajgarh raised slogans against local Congress MLA Krishna Poonia and markets in the town got closed by 11AM with people demanding an impartial probe by the CBI. 

Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot and Deputy CM Sachin Pilot have both expressed grief at the officer’s suicide. However, a major political storm has erupted with the BJP openly alleging that the SHO’s suicide was the result of political pressure.

Rajendra Rathore, the Deputy Leader in the Rajasthan Assembly and an MLA from Churu has demanded a judicial enquiry into the case. He claims that political pressure to get the SHO transferred out was a talk of the town in Churu for the past two months.

“The unholy nexus between criminals and some weak officials in the district had led to four constables under Vishnoi being sent to police lines just two days before his suicide.

In the past month, unjustified action was taken against seven constables which upped Vishnoi's tension levels, also mentioned in his WhatsApp chat. 

Vishnoi committed suicide due to the false charges being made by Krishna Poonia,” claimed Rathore and demanded a high level enquiry.

Local Congress MLA Krishna Poonia has termed all charges as baseless and said, “ I stand with the Vishnoi family in this time of grief and urge the CM to look into the matter. But the way BJP tried to politicise his death and turn it into a caste issue is shameful. Now, it is important to investigate about the pressure that Vishnoi was under in the last few days so that the truth is revealed."

On Sunday the police has also registered a case of abetment to suicide against unidentified people.

The DGP of  Rajasthan Police Bhupendra Singh has said that his force has lost “a brave officer. If there is any foul-play behind this suicide, nobody will be spared. The Law is the same for everyone and that’s why we are getting the case investigated by a very competent team  led by a senior IPS officer.”

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