Maharashtra: Four months on, police register abetment case in teen’s suicide

According to police officials, the deceased, a Class 12 student, ended his life around 11.50pm on April 15. His father said, “We wrote to the Director General of Police and even visited the offices of the higher police officials in Aurangabad but the FIR was registered only on Saturday and no arrest has been made yet.”

The family of the deceased said that on April 14, the boy had gone to work at a procession with his friend at Kranti Chowk. While they were returning, a person who stays in the neighbourhood accosted them and started demanding money. As the duo did not have any money, the offender thrashed them and instructed them to drop him at a location.

“The teenager then told the man that he was running out of petrol in his bike, following which the latter got angry and started beating him. He even threw a piece of tile at my son and his friend due to which he sustained injury on his leg,” said the father.

The 17-year-old reported the matter at Pundaliknagar police station, who asked him to go to a hospital and undergo medical examination on his own, said the father of the deceased. “They registered a non-cognisable offence after which he was asked to leave,” added his brother.

The Pundaliknagar police later asked him to come to the police station on April 15. “He was made to sit for hours. They refused to take action against the offender and as my son was scared, he asked the police to either drop him home or call me to take him home,” said the father, adding, “They (the cops) denied his request.”

As the teenager was leaving the police station, the offender spotted him, took him to his house and assaulted him, the father said. Later in the night, the teenager hanged himself to death. Pundaliknagar police registered a case of accidental death. “If the police had taken precautionary action in time, my son would have been alive. The inaction forced him to end his life,” said the father. He added that he wants the police department to take action against the personnel whose negligence had cost the life of his son.

Dilip Gangurde of Pundaliknagar police station said, “We have registered an FIR and are looking for evidence against the culprit following which he shall be arrested.” When asked about police inaction, he said, “The family has not raised a complaint against any police personnel.”