Youth dies by suicide in Gorakhpur, day after alleging sodomy: Police

Police suspect the youth died by suicide fearing public shaming.

The two arrested suspects were identified by police as Karan alias Ashutosh Mishra (26) and Devesh Rajnand (24), both unemployed. They were produced before a local court in Gorakhpur, which sent them to judicial custody.

While Karan is native of Bihar but has been living in Gorakhpur for the past few years, Devesh is a local resident. The police recovered the victim’s cellphone from their possession. Gorakhpur Circle Officer Kamlesh Kumar Singh said raids were being conducted to trace the other two accused named in the FIR.

The victim, a graduate, was from Maharajganj and had been living with his elder brother, who works at the institute where his body was found. He was unmarried and preparing for competitive examinations.

According to the police, the youth in his complaint said that one of the suspects with whom he came in contact over social media asked him to meet him in a hotel room Thursday. After he reached the hotel, according to the complaint, the suspect called three of his friends to his room.

The four then assaulted the youth and sodomised him, the complaint said. The victim said the suspects also took photographs of the act and threatened to circulate them if he did not pay them money. They also took away his cellphone before allowing him to go, the complaint said.

After being released, the youth told his brother about the incident following which they approached the police to get the FIR lodged.

The next day, the police received information about the recovery of the youth’s body. The post-mortem report stated that death occurred due to hanging.

According to sources, an FIR was lodged against the four suspects following directions of senior authorities. The case was registered under IPC Sections 377 (unnatural sex offences), 384 (extortion), 379 (theft), 411 (receiving stolen property), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 506 (criminal intimidation), and 120-B (criminal conspiracy).

Gorakhpur Additional Superintendent of Police Jitendra Kumar Srivastava said that charges of abetment of suicide would be added.