A 29-year-old maize trader in Odisha allegedly died by suicide after police refused to register an FIR despite his repeated complaint against a businessman who allegedly put him through immense financial stress by refusing to pay the maize trader’s dues.
Bijay Nayak from Khurda district was under stress since he was unable to recover around ₹20- 25 lakh from several people who took poultry feed from him on credit, resulting in his inability to pay back people he had taken loans from for purchasing poultry feed.
Nayak’s wife Sasmita alleged that a man from Dewanpatna in Balipatna block of Khurda district was their largest borrower who had bought maize worth ₹16 lakh from her husband a year ago on credit but had refused to pay for it. She said they approached police several times but the cops did not register a case against the businessman, rendering the couple helpless.
She said the businessman last visited her house on October 31 and threatened her of dire consequences if Nayak persisted with the demand, forcing the couple to approach the local police station.
“When we lodged the complaint at Khurda Town police station, the cops there asked us to come on November 12 and said they will also summon the businessman. We went again on November 12, but the businessman did not come. The police then asked us to come on November 13. However, when the police telephoned the businessman the same day, he said he could not come due to medical emergency and will come only after November 20,” Nayak’s wife said.
{{/usCountry}}“When we lodged the complaint at Khurda Town police station, the cops there asked us to come on November 12 and said they will also summon the businessman. We went again on November 12, but the businessman did not come. The police then asked us to come on November 13. However, when the police telephoned the businessman the same day, he said he could not come due to medical emergency and will come only after November 20,” Nayak’s wife said.
{{/usCountry}}She added that after realising that the businessman was only trying to evade them, the couple requested the police to register a case but the cops refused.
On November 14, they day when lenders visited Nayak’s house, asking him to pay up his dues, he left home and later told his wife that he was going to take his own life, Sasmita said.
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“In the evening, my husband went to a forested area and before hanging himself, he sent his photograph through WhatsApp,” his wife Sasmita said.
Sasmita said the local police refused to even accompany her to the place where her husband had allegedly hung himself. After his body was found at Botlama area, Nayak’s wife staged a sit-in protest outside Khurda town police station alleging police inaction.
Inspector general (IG) Central Range Narasingha Bhol said he had directed Khurda SP to inquire into the case. “If there is a cognisable offence and the police department is found to have attempted to suppress the couple’s complaint then action will be taken against the officer concerned. If any negligence is found then departmental proceedings will be initiated against the officer,” Bhol said.