Rajasthan police have registered an abetment of suicide case against unknown people after Rajgarh Police Station’s SHO Vishnu Dutt Vishnoi committed suicide by hanging himself on Saturday. Vishnoi left a suicide note, where he said that he was under tremendous pressure which he could not handle. Now politics have heated on the issue, as it is alleged that a Congress leader is responsible for the pressure that the police officer was facing.
It has been alleged that the SHO was under pressure from Congress MLA Krishna Poonia, which led to his suicide.
As per reports, Vishnu Dutt Vishnoi was probing a murder case, for which he had to go to the police station at 3AM in the night on Saturday. After that, he went to his quarter in the police station compound to sleep. But when he didn’t come out till 9AM in the morning, people started doubting that something was wrong. His cook informed the police station about it. When police arrived at the quarter, they broke open the door and found Vishnoi hanging inside.
They also found two suicide notes. One was addressed to the SP of the Churu district, while the other was for his parents. In the suicide note to the SP, he wrote that he was under such pressure that he could not cope with that. He wrote that he tried to give his best to Rajasthan Police and he was not a coward, but he could not bear the stress anymore. However, he didn’t name anyone for the pressure he was facing in his note.
On the basis of the suicide note and allegations of family members and staff in the police station that Vishnoi was under pressure, a case under section 306 of IPC (abetment to suicide) was registered at the Rajgarh Police Station.
Earlier Vishnoi had also sent messages to his lawyer friend Govardhan Singh on WhatsApp saying that he has been trapped in the whirlpool of dirty politics. In that message, he also said that he wanted to take voluntary retirement and was going to submit application for the same. When his friend asked him not to do so, he replied that it is very dirty politics and the officers are weak. He wrote that he is being accused of embezzlement of Rs 3.5 crore in the construction of the police station building.
Vishnoi’s colleagues have also confirmed that they were under pressure from the Congress MLA. They have written a letter to Inspector General of Bikaner range Jose Mohan, requesting him to transfer them to some other place due to the “pressure” created by Congress MLA Krishna Poonia. They allege that she keeps lodging unnecessary complaints against them with senior police officials.
The staff also cited earlier incidents where policemen were penalised due to such complaints. Poonia is a former Olympian and a first time MLA.
Once these things came out, it created a political storm in the state as opposition leaders have started raising the issue. BJP MLA and opposition leader Rajendra Rathore staged a protest against Poonia. Former BSP MLA Manoj Nangyal also sat on dharma separately and demanded CBI probe into the case. The protestors didn’t even allow the body to take away.
MP Rahul Kaswa and several other leaders have accused that if a police officer with such clean record killed himself, he must be facing political pressure.
RLP MP from Nagaur Hanuman Beniwal demanded a CBI inquiry in the suicide of Vishnu Vishnoi. He said, “This incident raised questions on the entire system. The home department is with the chief minister and so it is impossible for the common man to approach him. He should stop holding to the department.”
BJP state chief Satish Poonia said, “Allegations about political pressure on policemen are substantiated by the tragic death of Vishnu Vishnoi. He was a dynamic officer and there should be a proper inquiry. Krishna Poonia should have done better than being in such a position. She has the patronage of the chief minister.”
While Krishna Poonia said that she had met Vishnoi 5-7 times only in official meetings. She said that she had heard about the cop, but never met him alone.
Vishnoi’s friend lawyer Govardhan Singh, who received the messages from Vishnoi, said that had he immediately rushed to Rajgarh after receiving the message, perhaps this incident would not have happened. Singh said that he will never be able to forgive himself. He said that although it looks like a suicide, it is a well-thought murder, and it should be probed by CBI.
Vishnoi was in Rajasthan police for 21 years and he was popular among senior officers also. He was popular in his department and among general public for his work and honesty.
DGP Bhupendra Singh has said that according to him, Vishnudutt was among the top 10 SHOs of the state. He said that it is common for policemen to have political, social and criminal pressure, which starts as soon as they join the force. He said that senior officials from all the areas used to recommend that Vishnu Dutt should be posted in their area to control crime.
According to a report by Dainik Bhaskar, Vishnoi was an officer whose posting used to happen on public demand. When he was transferred, people from used to agitate against it.
Vishnudatta was posted in Rajgarh of Churu due to rising incidents of crime. DGP Bhupendra Singh says that he did a good job there, but the circumstances that preceded the suicide, is a matter of investigation. He said that Vishnu Dutt Vishnoi was among such officers, who always worked honestly. He said that during any investigation, both sides try tricks to create pressure and the police face challenges to take fair action.
In the meanwhile, Superintendent of Police, Churu Tejaswini Gautam has said that she is talking to the staff of Rajgarh Police Station to ascertain the facts. Regarding the letter written by Vishnoi’s colleagues, she informed that some have said it was an emotional decision to sign the letter.
She assured that the district administration will refer the matter to the state govt for a judicial inquiry, and a family member will be given a govt job on compassionate grounds, even though the cause of the death was suicide.
Notorious crime group Lawrence Vishnoi Gang’s name has also emerged in the suicide case, as the murder case that Vishnu Dutt was probing was connected to this gang.
