Accused of rape, Mattewal granthi commits suicide

Tribune News Service

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Amritsar, October 28

Jugraj Singh, a granthi who was booked by the Mattewal police for blackmailing and raping a girl, allegedly committed suicide by consuming some poisonous substance.

The police, however, said the exact cause of death was yet to be ascertained. A police official said they were awaiting for the autopsy report for further action. For now, inquest proceedings under the Criminal Procedure Code was initiated, he said.

Jugraj was booked by the Mattewal police on Sunday following a complaint by a 23-year-old girl of Kalerbala village, where he used to work at a gurdwara as a granthi (priest).

The victim had accused him of blackmailing her after capturing her objectionable video while bathing last year. She alleged that the accused forced her to make physical relations with him and threatened to post the same on social media if she refused. She said the accused started meeting her on one pretext or the other but she always tried avoiding him.

She said in April this year, she had gone to pay obeisance at the gurdwara, when the accused threatened her again saying he would post her pictures on social media and later forcibly raped her. Following her complaint, the police registered a case against Jugraj under Sections 376, 295 and 506 of the IPC and Sections 67 and 67-A of the IT Act.

The police said it was yet to be ascertained whether Jugraj died of poisoning or heart attack. His body was taken into possession and sent for autopsy. “Appropriate action will be taken after getting the post-mortem report,” the official said.

The case

Jugraj was booked by the Mattewal police on Sunday following a complaint by a 23-year-old girl of Kalerbala village, where he used to work at a gurdwara as a granthi (priest). The victim had accused him of blackmailing her after capturing her objectionable video while bathing last year. She alleged that the accused forced her to make physical relations with him and threatened to post the same on social media if she refused. She said the accused started meeting her on one pretext or the other but she always tried avoiding him.