Sangli farmer attempts suicide, blames police for inaction in daughter’s kidnap case

Officials said they found a note in the farmer’s house where he has blamed three police officials for mentally harassing him by refusing to act on his minor daughter’s kidnapping case. He has also named three others who allegedly played a role in his daughter’s abduction, said the police.

According to police officials, the suicide attempt took place Saturday evening. The farmer locked himself in a room and consumed pesticide. After his family members found him missing for a while, they checked his room and found him unconscious.

Police inspector Pandurang Bhopale said, “He was rushed to a hospital in Karad, where he is recuperating. His situation is currently critical. We have found a note in which he has named a police inspector, sub inspector and a constable. Also the name of a person and his family members with whom his daughter has eloped is mentioned in the note.”

Family members of the farmer said his daughter had gone to Vita city in Sangli on June 12 to attend a relative’s wedding. After that, she went missing and later the family heard that she had eloped with a man who worked close to her house.

The police said the girl and boy belong to different castes, and girl had decided to run away as her family was opposed to the relationship.

On June 14, the father lodged a police complaint, and a case under section 363 (kidnapping) was registered.

“The father has visited the police station at least 20 times, but the police are not acting on his complaint. Instead they humiliate him and ask him to leave,” said his relative.

When contacted, police inspector Santosh Doke of Vita police station denied the allegations. He said, “We never humiliated him. We have been investigating the matter and have arrested two accused who allegedly helped in the kidnapping.”

The family members said that the two were arrested only after the suicide attempt.