Teen dies by suicide in Purnia fearing arrest

Patna: An 18-year-old youth allegedly died by suicide by hanging himself in Purnia district on Friday, fearing arrest in a case registered under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST) Act.The youth had been named in an FIR related to a scuffle that later turned violent and left people from both sides injured.The incident took place in the Gulabbagh Zero Mile area under the Sadar police station limits. The deceased was identified as Mohammad Yaqib.After receiving information about the incident, sadar sub-divisional police officer-1 Jyoti Shankar and sadar station house officer Ajay Kumar reached the spot with a heavy police force.

A team from the FSL collected crucial evidence from the location.The body was later sent for post-mortem examination at Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Purnia.The deceased’s brother Mohammad Akbar said that a day before Holi, Yaqib was returning home from Gulabbagh Zero Mile when he got into an altercation with some people on the way.Within a short time, people from both sides gathered at the spot and the dispute escalated into a physical fight, leaving several individuals injured.

Following the incident, the other side submitted an application at Sadar police station on March 9, after which a case was registered under the SC/ST Act against around 10 people, including Yaqib.“Ever since the case was registered, Yaqib was under stress. He was quite scared. He was constantly haunted by the fear of arrest and going to jail. The opposing side was demanding Rs 2.5 lakh to withdraw the case, which made him even more mentally distressed.

Under this very stress, he took this step,” Akbar alleged.Ajay Kumar said the other side had submitted an application along with an injury report regarding the scuffle, based on which the case was registered under the SC/ST Act.He said that in the preliminary investigation it appears the youth was under mental pressure due to fear of arrest and going to jail. However, police are investigating the case from all possible angles.