2 weeks Ago
Surat: An inspector and two of his subordinate policemen were booked at Nabipur police station in Bharuch for abetting the suicide of a man on Saturday. Kirtan Vasava died by suicide after drinking poison in a field at Kavitha village near Bharuch. Vasava had been involved in bootlegging.
He stated in his suicide note that he had stopped the liquor business, but police kept harassing him to force him to restart it. Police booked the inspector of Nabipur police station, M K Piyeja, and two policemen, Rajendra and Sandip, under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Sections 108 (abetment to suicide) and 3(5) joint criminal liability. They were also booked under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
After the news emerged, Bharuch BJP MP Mansukh Vasava demanded action against the policemen involved. Vasava also shared the suicide note on social media. Gujarat Congress general secretary Sandeep Mangrola complained to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the National Commission for Scheduled Tribe (NCST), demanding a thorough inquiry.
A complaint was lodged by Vasava's daughter, Hiral. She stated that her father went out on Friday and late in the evening, her uncle received a message from Vasava's phone saying he had drunk poison and was in a field outside the village. The family went to check and found Vasava in the field with froth at his mouth.
He was taken to a private hospital, where he was declared dead. The family found a suicide note from his pocket in which Vasava said he was being hounded by police to restart the liquor business, which he had stopped four months ago. He said the cops were harassing him and his family and abusing them.
Vasava said that he stopped bootlegging four months ago, but they were demanding money and came to his house every day to check, and harass him. Refusing to accept his body, the family held a demonstration against the alleged torture of the deceased. After being assured of legal actions and an FIR against the policemen involved, the family accepted the body.
"Police will record the statements of the family and collect evidence. The suicide note will be sent for handwriting verification," a police officer said..
