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Defence accounts officer booked after home guard’s suicide bid in Panchkula
Home Guard had stopped the Indian Defence Accounts Service officer’s car for jumping red light, following which he was transferred to police lines on July 17; on Thursday, he attempted suicide by consuming poison after she filed a complaint against him
An Indian Defence Accounts Service (IDAS) officer was booked for misbehaving with a home guard, posted on traffic duty, after the latter tried to end his life in Panchkula on Thursday.
The home guard, Piyush, claimed he took the extreme step after he was transferred at the behest of the officer for stopping her car for a traffic light violation in Panchkula on July 17.
Haryana home minister Anil Vij also directed Haryana DGP (crime) Muhammad Akil to look into the matter.
The DGP identified the female officer as Panveer Saini, currently posted at the North-West Headquarters of the Union ministry of defence (MoD) in Chandigarh.
Piyush, who consumed poison in the suicide bid, was taken to the Sector-6 Civil Hospital, where he is out of danger.
Talking to the media, Piyush said on July 17, he stopped a car after it jumped the red light. The woman sitting inside the car introduced herself as a senior officer and started arguing with him. When he tried to capture the incident on video, she misbehaved with him and tried to snatch his phone, obstructing him from doing his duty.
Thereafter, the officer made some calls and within 30 minutes, he was transferred to police lines.
“She jumped the red light and then misbehaved. She was wrong, but I had to apologise. Even then she made sure that I was transferred to police lines. On Thursday, she filed another complaint,” he said.
Distressed for the past 12 days due to his transfer, Piyush said he could not tolerate the complaint filed against him: “My only misbehaviour was that I stopped the car of a VIP... They harassed me so much that I had to take this extreme step.”
ACP Vijay Kumar Nehra said the home guard was transferred to police lines pending an inquiry. “The officer had complained against him. The traffic police cannot shout or argue with people. They should simply issue a challan if there is any violation,” he said.
DGP Akil confirmed that he got verbal instructions from Vij to look into the matter. “A probe is underway into the officer’s complaint against the home guard. However, I also ordered an FIR for obstructing a public servant from duty. Another action is to be taken for violating traffic rules. Challan should be issued immediately,” the DGP said.
The officer has been booked under Sections 186 (obstructing public servant in discharging his duty) and 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) of the Indian Penal Code, and her driver under the Motor Vehicles Act.
The home guard also named a home guard official and blamed DCP Mohit Handa for his condition. “The home guard official always hurls abuses and uses vulgar language. But DCP Handa does not listen to us. Without knowing the full story, he punished me,” Piyush claimed. The DCP did not revert to calls.
On these allegations, the DGP said, “An inquiry was underway against the home guard official as well. All facts will be looked into and appropriate action will be taken.”
