Police constable ‘hangs herself’, fiance and ACP booked

A 24-year-old policewoman allegedly committed suicide by hanging herself at her home in Kalwa, Thane, on Wednesday morning. Her fiance, who is a police constable, and an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) in Thane, have been booked for abetting suicide. Shubhadra Pawar, a constable posted at the Thane City Police Headquarters, allegedly hanged herself from the ceiling fan of her room at her house in Manish Nagar in Kalwa on Wednesday morning. Her fiance, constable Amol Phapale (24), posted at Kanjurmarg police station in Mumbai, was at the house at that time, the police said.

According to Kalwa police station, Pawar was allegedly being harassed by ACP S B Nipunge, who is also posted at the police headquarters, for several days. He allegedly called her up several times and asked her to meet him so that he could find a suitable posting for her.

The police said Phapale grew suspicious of the phone calls that Pawar had been receiving from Nipunge and the couple had an argument over it on Wednesday morning after which, Pawar locked herself up in her room and hanged herself.

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A senior Thane Police officer said Phapale broke open the door of the room when Pawar did not respond despite repeated knocks. “After seeing her hanging from the ceiling fan, he contacted the woman’s brother, Sujit, who is also a police constable,” the officer said.

Pawar’s brother registered a complaint with Kalwa police station as he suspected foul play. “We have booked both the policemen (Phapale and Nipunge) based on the brother’s complaint and are conducting an investigation. No one has been arrested so far,” said the officer.