Constable hangs himself at Ambad police station

Nashik: Monday started off on a solemn note for the staff of Ambad police station when they saw one of their colleagues hung from the roof of the barrack located on the premises.

Forty-eight-year old Bhausaheb Yashwant Sonawane, head constable at the police station, ended his life in the wee hours of Monday by hanging himself. The police have recovered a seven-page suicide note from the barrack that stated that Sonawane committed suicide due to some personal reasons.



An police official from the station said that Sonawane, a resident of Uttamnagar, had completed his duty for the day but he returned to the police station on late Sunday night.

"Not many officers were present at the station; most of them were on the night patrol duty while others were in the main office. Without intimating anyone, Sonawane went behind the barracks constructed during the Kumbh Mela around 3-4am and hung himself with a nylon rope from an iron angle," the official said.

He added that the barrack is closed at all times except during meetings that are held occasionally. The incident came to light in the morning when one of the personnel saw the barrack doors open.

Another official at the police station said that he had met Sonawane on Sunday evening and did not find him under any stress or worry.

Speaking about the suicide note, a senior official said the seven-page note mainly contained Sonawane's apology to his family members and relatives for committing the act. "Information was sought from other officials but no reason for the suicide has been found so far. The family members too are in a state of shock. Further investigations will reveal the exact cause," he added.

The official, however, said that a family dispute could be the primary reason for the constable committing the act. Sonawane had reportedly received a call from one of the relatives that disturbed him. When he did not reach home on Sunday night, the deceased's wife and other family members had come to the police station searching for him but he was not there.

Prakash Bardekar, a senior inspector who was earlier in-charge of the police station, said, "Sonawane was known to be an honest and efficient official. He was sensitive by nature and we did not receive any complaints about him in the past two years. He was also a good sports person."

Sonawane is survived by his wife and two daughters, of which one is married and the other is studying, he added.PAST CASES

October 17, 2015: In a high profile case, suspended police inspector Ashok Sadre allegedly committed suicide, blaming his seniors and an aide of then agriculture minister Eknath Khadse for pushing him towards it. Sadre, who was posted at Ramanandnagar police station in Jalgaon, hung himself from the ceiling of his residence in Panchavati. Soon after, Khadse tendered his resignation after he came under intense attack from the Opposition, with multiple allegations levelled against him, including Sadre's suicide.

April 30, 2016: A police sub-inspector of group no. 6 of the State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) committed suicide by shooting himself with his service revolver at the Maharashtra Police Academy (MPA) along Trimbak Road. U S Dhanavate (56) shot himself around 2.30pm in the staff quarters in the MPA