PATHANAMTHITTA: A youth reportedly died by suicide after excise officials allegedly assaulted him while questioning in connection with a ganja seizure case in his neighbourhood in Adoor.
Vishnu, 27, was found hanging in his house at Pazhakulam on Saturday. According to relatives, the excise officials, who had come to another house, reached Vishnu’s place on Thursday and questioned him rudely. “The offcials made him stand in his underwear, held his hands behind his back, and assaulted him,” they alleged.
Following the incident, Vishnu was in a state of depression and remained within the house for two days. He was found hanging in his room on Saturday afternoon, they said.
On Monday, Vishnu’s uncle Suresh lodged a complaint with the Adoor police against the excise officials, based on which a case was registered.
However, the excise department has refuted the allegations. Excise Deputy Commissioner V Robert said, during the preliminary investigation, it was learnt that the excise team did not physically assault him. The deputy commissioner has directed Assistant Excise Commissioner Rajeev B to probe the incident and submit a report by Tuesday.
Excise dept dismisses claims of Vishnu’s kin
According to the excise department, on October 17, a patrolling team led by Adoor excise inspector Arun Ashokan took a youth named Sanu into custody from Pazhakulam with 10g of ganja. During questioning, he said several others in the area were using ganja. After hearing Sanu’s statements, the officers grew suspicious of Vishnu, who was residing in a house nearby. When the officers spoke to Vishnu, who was standing outside his house, he suddenly shouted at them, said an official statement of the department.
The officers returned without causing further provocation. As Vishnu’s behaviour was abnormal, Arun contacted his mother and informed that it would be better to take her son to a de-addiction centre for treatment, the statement said.
(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 iCall, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences' helpline - 02225521111, which is available Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 10 pm.)