The first-ever ‘Sakala Nerasthula Samagra Survey’ that aims to be “a techno-scientific way to bring down crime rate” and to make Telangana a crime-free State has resulted in the suicide by a youth who was acquitted in a case booked against him when he was a juvenile.
Though Director General of Police M. Mahender Reddy’s awoved objective was “to instill fear in the minds of would-be criminals” instead “the survey caused my son’s suicide,” V. Venkataiah, father of 20-year-old B.Sc student Vemula Prasad, lamented while speaking to The Hindu. Prasad committed suicide by jumping before a moving train near Nalgonda station on Friday, a day after two police personnel visited their house in Gurrampode to collect his fingerprints, gather details and geo-tag their home.
“A good student, he had no bad habits or issues in college. He left class around 11.30 a.m. after the anatomy test,” his classmates waiting outside the mortuary said.
According to Nalgonda sub-inspector (Government Railway Police) T. Achyutham, the incident was reported at 4.15 p.m., and a suicide note was found on the body.
“I blame myself for my death. I miss you amma, nana, bro, and friends,” it read.
‘Not connected’
Deputy Superintendent of Police Sudhakar said there was no controversy regarding the death. “As per law, we go by the dying declaration — in this case the suicide note. The suicide is in no way connected to the survey,” he said. Terming the incident as “coincidental and sad”, Superintendent of Police D. V. Srinivasa Rao also rejected the allegations and said the victim was “very sensitive and suffered from suicidal tendencies.” The GRP SI pointed out that Mr. Venkataiah in the statement made to receive the mortal remains of his son did not express any doubts over his son’s suicide.
