Suspended cop commits suicide

Jitendra Kumar Pandey (30),shot himself at his residence in Awas Vikas Colony in Sitapur between 3 and 4 am. Pandey had got married about 11 months ago and was living with wife Pinki here in a rented house. Police said that on Sunday night,he had consumed alcohol and allegedly had an altercation with his wife. Pandey was posted as a police outpost in-charge in Sadar area.

“He was suspended on August 20 on charges for illegally detaining a man. A preliminary inquiry is on,” said Jyoti Narayan,Superintendent of Police,Sitapur. On July 14,a police team from Sadar had caught 30-year-old Chandu and kept him illegally detained for two days. After the youth’s family raised the issue with help of an NGO and staged a dharna at the police station,Pandey lodged a case against the youth under NDPS Act on July17.

An inquiry was ordered into the matter. “The inquiry report said after keeping Chandu in detention for two days,Pandey lodged a case,showing the recovery of smack from his possession,” the SP said. Additional SP Balwant Rai,who was ordered to conduct a detailed inquiry regarding the role of the other members of the police team within a week,said: “Prima facie,Pandey committed suicide due to depression following his suspension.”

“I have received information that Pandey’s family has filed a compliant with senior officials in Lucknow,asking them to lodge an FIR against Chandu’s family for driving him to suicide,” the SP said.