Unable to pay bribe, Kharar boy hangs self

Tribune News Service

Mohali, September 30

The police have booked ASI Surjit Singh and havildar Husanpreet Singh on the charge of abetment to suicide of a 17-year-old boy. The victim hanged himself to death allegedly for not being able to pay Rs 20,000 in bribe.

‘Threatened with life’

In his video, the deceased expressed his inability to pay the money as he used to earn only Rs 5,000 per month. The victim claimed that he had no other option but to die as the cops had threatened to shoot him if he did not return the next day.

Teg Bahadur, the only brother of two sisters, hanged himself to death at his home in Chajju Majra. The victim shot a video alleging that he was being threatened, tortured and mentally harassed by the two cops for the past two or three days due to which he was taking the extreme step. A suicide note was also found on him.

The parents of the deceased said Teg Bahadur was going on a friend’s bike when he was stopped by the police for checking. He allegedly produced a fake registration card of the bike at the spot but later produced the valid one. “However, the two cops allegedly sought Rs 20,000 in bribe from him. They told him that if he failed to pay, a theft case would be slapped on him,” they alleged.

In his video, the deceased expressed his inability to pay the money as he used to earn only Rs 5,000 per month. The victim claimed that he had no other option but to die as the cops had threatened to shoot him if he did not return the next day.

The parents alleged officials of the Kharar city police station kept pressurising them to hush up the matter by initiating inquest proceedings under Section 174 of the CrPC.

“Cops were pressurising us to strike a compromise and get our statements recorded arbitrarily. The deceased’s phone, suicide note and the seized bike is with them,” they alleged.

The boy was cremated today. Senior police officials said the two cops had been suspended till further inquiry.

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