Shikohpur villager found hanging; sarpanch booked for abetment

Based on a complaint filed by the father of the deceased, the police have booked the village sarpanch under IPC Section 306 (abetment of suicide) at the Kherki Daula police station.

A 37-year-old man was found hanging from a tree near a tube well, about a kilometre from his house, in Shikohpur village near Manesar, early on Sunday. According to a preliminary police probe, the man had killed himself. His family filed a police complaint, alleging that the village chief had been threatening their son with an arrest after a dispute.

A 37-year-old man was found hanging from a tree near a tube well, about a kilometre from his house, in Shikohpur village near Manesar.

Based on a complaint filed by the father of the deceased, the police have booked the village sarpanch under IPC Section 306 (abetment of suicide) at the Kherki Daula police station.

In the FIR, his father stated, “My son had told me that he was under duress as the sarpanch had been threatening him for a week. After a dispute between them, the sarpanch had told him that he would use his influence to get him arrested, and he would not be able to secure bail from the court. My son was stressed due to this for the past few days.”

He also stated that before killing himself, his son had recorded an audio clip, in which he mentioned the sarpanch’s name, and shared it with a group on the social media. The police said that around 1.15am, the deceased left his house, went to the tubewell and hanged himself from a tree.

Sub-inspector Tara Chand, Kherki Daula police station, said they got a call around 3am. “The deceased man’s family has alleged that the village sarpanch had threatened him as he was ‘meddling in his affairs’. The dispute started after the deceased man demanded some documents related to developmental works carried out in the village. The deceased man’s family has said that they have an audio recording in which the sarpanch is threatening him,” said the official.

A police officer, privy to the investigation, requesting anonymity, said that the dispute had begun after the deceased man had posted something on social media mentioning the sarpanch, to which he had taken offence.

“They are yet to submit the alleged audio clip,” SI Chand said.