Shimla Rocked by the suicide case of a girl in which an Inspector General of Police (IG) has been booked, the Himachal assembly today witnessed noisy scenes leading to opposition congress walking out from the house after the government refused to hand over the case to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)
State congress president Kaul Singh Thakur had drawn the houses attention through a call attention motion demanding a CBI prove into the suicide case of 27 year old Ritu Kalmotia, a college lecturer, on Sunday.
However chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal did not relent to the opposition demand saying that the state CID was investigating the matter and if need be, the case could be recommended for investigation to the premier agency in the future.
The girl, who was teaching in a private BED college, was found dead hanging in her house at Totu on Sunday after her marriage proposal with Siddarth Sarpal, a sub-judge and son on Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) Pardeep Kumar Sarpal was turned down by the IG family.
Acting on a complaint filed by the girl’s family an FIR was lodged with the Boileaganj police station in Shimla on Monday last against the IG, his wife and son for abetment to suicide and destroying evidence from the scene.
The girl and the boy had studied together and talks of their marriage were held by the two families.
Seeing the sensitivity of the case involving a senior police officer, Director General of Police, G S Gill transferred it from district police to the state CID and has entrusted the task of probe to IG (CID) O C Thakur.
Kaul Singh Thakur, quoting locals and the girl’s family said the IG has visited the girl’s house in plain clothes along with local police immediately after coming to know about the tragic incident and broke open the doors of the house to remove vital evidence like her suicide note and the daily dairy.
Ritu, daughter of an ex-serviceman, was alone on the fateful day as her family had gone to Chandigarh. He said call details of her mobile suggests she had been continuously talking with the boy before taking the extreme step.
The opposition leader questioned rationale of handing over the probe to a police office of the same rank (IG) which he said would not do justice to the probe and insisted the case be referred to CBI.
Thakur also mentioned about 24 similar cases pending with the state women commission and asked the government to take an exemplary step by referring the suicide case to CBI.
Dhumal, who also holds the home protfolio, said the state government would not spare anyone. He said in case victim’s family was not satisfied with CID probe report it would be referred to the CBI.
On reference of 24 other similar cases of love affairs going sour lying with the state women commission, Dhumal said how can the government ban love relations between youngsters.
Dissatisfied with the CM’s reply, leader of the opposition Vidya Stokes rose from her seat to make a point on the motion brought by Thakur but was not allowed to speak as only one who move the motion can speak. Perturbed on this Congress MLAs walkout out shouting anti-government slogans.
Later Dhumal told reporters the government would consider removing the IG from the post till the probe.
As Editor, Ravinder Makhaik leads a team of media professionals at Hill Post.
Spanning a career of over two decades in mass communication, as a Documentary Filmmaker, TV journalist, Print Media journalist and with Online & Social Media, he brings with him a vast experience. He lives in Shimla.
