Tribune News Service

Lalru, June 29

The Railway Police today arrested one of the suspects, Senior Assistant Arvinder Singh, for abetting a 32-year-old woman’s suicide. The woman was working as a clerk with the Technical Education Department in Sector 36, Chandigarh.

Superintendent Bhupinder Singh was yet to be arrested, the police said.

“On a statement of the victim’s mother, rape charge (Section 376) has been added to the FIR registered under Section 306 of the Indian Penal Code,” said Gurdarshan Singh, SHO of the Patiala GRP police station.

Malkit Singh, brother of the deceased, told the police that his sister was working with the Technical Education Department in Sector 36, Chandigarh. He alleged that Superintendent Bhupinder Singh and Senior Assistant Arvinder Singh were harassing his sister for a long time. They were physically abusing her. He said the Deputy Director of the department was also informed about this, but no action was taken against the two officials.

On Tuesday, Dera Bassi SDM Kuldeep Bawa, Tehsildar Navdeep Singh Sergill and MC official Barjinder Singh met the family members amidst sloganeering and protest.

Officials from the Technical Education and Industrial Development, Sector 36, Chandigarh, among others joined the dharna to express condolences to the family on the third day of the protest at the ITI Chowk.

The protesting family members and residents of the area today demanded drinking water and temporary toilets at the protest site. Dera Bassi MLA NK Sharma and AAP leader Navjot Saini were also present on the occasion.

The suspect, who was arrested from Zirakpur, will be produced before a court tomorrow.

Rape charge added

“On a statement of the victim’s mother, rape charge (Section 376) has been added to the FIR registered under Section 306 of the IPC,” said Gurdarshan Singh, SHO of the Patiala GRP police station.