Cashier missing, 'suicide note' blames seniors

ROPAR: Cashier of an automobile unit operating from a nearby area has gone missing since July 21. A suicide note was however found by police on Wednesday night at about 9.30 pm from the factory���s safe (strong room), which was in victim���s custody. In the suicide note, it has allegedly been mentioned that mental torture by two senior officials of the factory had prompted him to take the extreme step.
According to Munesh Gupta, his father KK Gupta (56), who was working as a cashier with Swaraj Mazda Automobiles Ltd for the last many years, had said on July 21 morning while leaving the home that he was going to Chandigarh for some official work.
"When my father didn't return, we approached the factory officials, but they did not pay any heed to our queries. Also, Nawanshahr police did not cooperate as no complaint was lodged," Munesh said.
On Wednesday night, a police party headed by SHO, Kathgarh, broke the strong room, of which the victim was incharge, and found a suicide note in it. In the note, the victim held the factory manager (finance), Paramjeet Singh and deputy manager (finance), Anil Kumar Bhatia responsible in the event of his death. The victim wrote that despite his promotion being due, it was not being granted to him by the senior duo. Also, he was not sanctioned leave to perform an urgent work, it said.
"If I find solace, I will visit Haridwar, otherwise I will commit suicide," the note reportedly mentioned. When contacted, GM, Swaraj Mazda Automobiles, PK Bhardwaj, said that some officials, accompanying the cashier's son, Munesh, have rushed to Haridwar to search for the victim. When asked what action was being taken against the officials whose torture led the victim to take this step, the GM assured departmental action once the cashier was found.
"Regarding the promotion of Gupta, it would be due in the third quarter of this year (September-December). As far as granting leave is concerned, concerned officials might have turned it down as audit was taking place in the plant," Bhardwaj added.
However, what would be more appalling on the part of Nawanshar police, it had not registered any case in this context till filing of this report.
SP, Nawanshahr, Jagtar Singh, confirming that no case had been registered in this regard, said police were still verifying whether the suicide note was written by the missing cashier or by someone else. When pointed out that the strong room where the suicide note was found was under the charge of the cashier and how can the note be kept by somebody else, the SP was non-committal in his response.