NAMAKKAL: In a tragic incident, a woman Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) serving in Namakkal district allegedly committed suicide by hanging herself at her official residence, on Friday evening.
R Vishnupriya (27), serving as DSP, Thiruchengode Sub-division, was found hanging when a constable peeped through a window as she failed to respond to repeated knocks on the door, sources said.
She was attending to work in the office located in the same premises on the Thiruchengode-Erode Road until 5 pm, and later left for her house.
When a Sub-inspector called up over the mobile phone to discuss certain matters relating detention of an accused under the Goondas Act, the DSP did not respond. Then, he called up a constable in her office and asked him to pass the message. That’s when the constable noticed her hanging.
Top police officials including Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), Salem Range, Vidya Jayanth Kulkarni, SPs SR Senthilkumar (Namakkal) and Subbulakshmi (Salem), visited the spot.
The body was removed from the house and sent to the Govt Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College Hospital, Salem, for autopsy.Vishnupirya, a TNPSC Group-I officer, assumed office as DSP in February, her first posting after training. Her native village is Kondur in Cuddalore district.
Sources said she had gone on leave for two days before returning on Friday morning. Right from morning, she was busy dealing with an issue of a traffic constable beating up a school teacher. Being a spinster, Vishnupriya stayed alone at home, and her mother, Kalaiselvi, used to visit her frequently.
Police officials remained tight-lipped on the circumstances that led to the DSP’s suicide. Yet, a section of the police here claimed that she was under tremendous pressure from an officer who allegedly harassed her.
It is learnt that she had differences in official circles concerning investigations on the sensational murder of Dalit youth Gokulraj. Sources allege that several persons without having any direct involvement in the case have been put behind bars.
However, a senior police officer denied the harassment charges. Inspector General (IG) of Police, West Zone, K Shankar also visited the residence where the DSP ended her life.
Sources said police retrieved a suicide note, but were tight-lipped about its contents. Prior to joining the police department, she was was an assistant section officer at the secretariat in Chennai.
