26-year-old kills self, alleges torture by cop in suicide note

Nikesh Bhandari alleged that the police inspector and eight others threatened him regularly.

A 26-year-old man committed suicide by jumping in front of a goods train at Virar on Tuesday morning. Police said Nikesh Bhandari left a suicide note that said he was taking the step owing to torture by an inspector attached to the Charkop police station and eight other men.

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Bhandari, police said, was a resident of Charkop, Kandivli (West). On the afternoon of March 8, Nikesh, and his brother, Chaitanya, 24, a gym instructor, were at the Dadoji Konddeo ground at Charkop for Rang Panchmi. “Chaitanya and Nikesh were sitting on a stage set up at the ground which the accused objected to. They then started beating up the brothers with wooden bats, stumps and iron rods while verbally abusing them,” said an officer from Charkop police station.

Although the police initially registered a case of attempt to murder against the accused, the charges were changed to assault and rioting after investigation. The accused, however, were released on bail, following which Nikesh approached the Charkop police with a written complaint.

Police said that Nikesh’s family had alleged that after he submitted the complaint, an inspector of Charkop police station began torturing him. Allegedly tired of the torture, Nikesh ended his life on Tuesday, his family said.

“Nikesh’s body was found by the stationmaster at Vasai railway station around 6.15 am on Tuesday,” said senior inspector Praful Kshirsagar of Vasai government railway police.

Nikesh, in his suicide note, had said that despite complaining to the Charkop police about being threatened by the inspector and the other accused, the officers ignored him. Feeling helpless, he stated, he decided to commit suicide, the note stated.

Police said they are investigating the allegations made by Nikesh in his suicide note.