E-Paper
Amritsar teen ends life after police harassment, wanted to join the Army
The teenager was allegedly harassed by two assistant sub inspectors of Amritsar police who had stopped him while he was on his scooter for not wearing a helmet
AMRITSAR “Papa, I did nothing... the policemen had been lying that it (condom) was mine. I don’t know how and from where it came. And you also believed... the policemen… I don’t want your... disrespect because of me… Please take care of my mother and yourself, and don’t drink,” reads the note written by an 18-year-old who died by suicide at his Amritsar home on Monday.
The teenager ended his life, his family alleged, after being harassed by two assistant sub inspectors of Amritsar police, Davinder Singh and Sham Lal, who had stopped him while he was on his scooter for not wearing a helmet, and later falsely accused him of carrying a condom. They treated him as if he was a hardcore criminal and lectured his father on morality, it was alleged.
“He was a student of Class 12 and had also joined the National Cadet Corps (NCC). He had been working hard to fulfil his dream to join the Army and serve the nation, but it was shattered by the policemen,” his mother said.
The teenager is survived by his father,who runs a scrap shop, mother and two younger sisters. The family migrated to the city from Uttar Pradesh 20 years back.
His family members said he was out on his scooter on Friday when Davinder Singh and Sham Lal stopped him for not wearing a helmet and took him to the Sun City police post under the Mohkampura police station.
The father of the deceased said when he heard about the incident he went to the police post. “The two policemen had detained my son there. I gave them Rs 500 to release my son and his scooter as I was told that he was challaned for not wearing a helmet. Before getting my son released, the cops showed me a condom and told me that they had recovered it from my son’s scooter. They scolded me and my son as if he was a hardcore criminal. The next day, one of the two policemen came to my shop, taking Rs 500 extra for releasing the scooter’s registration papers.”
The teenager had been depressed because of the false allegations, his father said, and had stopped eating. “On Monday, when I was at the shop and my wife and daughter had gone to the market for buying vegetables my son committed suicide by hanging,” he said.
The grieving relatives protested outside Mohkampura police station on Tuesday from 11 am to 2 pm demanding registration of a case against the two ASIs.
The president of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)’s migrant wing Mahesh Verma also demanded the arrest of the policemen and said more protests would follow if the family’s demands were not met.
Additional deputy commissioner of police (ADCP-City3) Harpal Singh said the ASIs had been suspended. “We have also sent a report to dismiss both from the department.”
After the departmental action criminal action would also be initiated against the policemen, he added.
If you need support or know someone who does, please reach out to your nearest mental health specialist. Helplines: Aasra: 022 2754 6669; Sneha India Foundation: +914424640050 and Sanjivini: 011-24311918
