Jehanabad/ Patna: A 27-year-old female constable, identified as Shivani Kumari, was found dead by hanging in her barrack at the Kako Mandal Jail in Jehanabad on Wednesday. Shivani, a resident of Barauni village under the Manihari police station area of Katihar district, had been serving as a warder at the Mandal Jail for the past year.
Upon discovering the body, jail authorities immediately alerted the police. The police have since initiated an investigation, confiscating Shivani’s mobile phone to extract Call Detail Records (CDR) as they suspect a love affair to be the potential cause of the suicide.
The body has been sent to Sadar Hospital for a postmortem examination to determine the exact cause of death.
Shivani’s brother, Shubham, stated that there were ongoing discussions about his sister’s marriage. He also mentioned that she had been experiencing stress due to difficulties in obtaining leave.
“There was talk of sister’s marriage. She was also under stress due to not getting leave,” Shubham said.
Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Sanjeev Kumar addressed the media, stating that initial investigations point towards a possible love affair. He added that a forensic team had collected evidence from the scene and that the police are thoroughly investigating the case from all angles.
“Initial investigation suggests a case of love affair. The forensic team has collected evidence from the spot. The police is investigating the case from all aspects,” SDPO Sanjeev Kumar said.
This tragic incident marks the third such case within the Jehanabad police in the last two months, raising concerns about the well-being of law enforcement personnel. On May 11, constable Vinod Chaudhary, posted in the district police line, committed suicide using his service rifle. Prior to that, on April 21, sub-inspector Parmeshwar Paswan, stationed at the tourism police station in Vanawar, died by hanging himself within the police station premises. Paswan was reportedly suffering from liver cancer and was under mental stress due to the financial burden of his treatment. The recurring nature of these incidents is likely to prompt further scrutiny into the support systems and mental health resources available to police personnel in the district.
(If you are having suicidal thoughts, or are worried about a friend or need emotional support, someone is always there to listen. Call Sneha Foundation – 04424640050, Tele Manas – 14416 (available 24×7) or Call, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences’ helpline – 02225521111, which is available Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 10 pm.)
