Head constable Annarao Saibanna Gamaga (48), attached to the Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) in Vijayapura, allegedly hanged himself at the Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP) quarters at Taj Sultanpur on the outskirts of Kalaburagi city early on Friday. This is the third suicide of police personnel this month in the State
There were contrasting reasons cited for the alleged suicide of the constable, who hails from Bankur village in Chitapur taluk of Kalaburagi district.
While family members claimed it was rejection of his request for transfer from Vijayapura to KSRP battalion in Kalaburagi city that had pushed him to end his life, the police, quoting a suicide note recovered from his home, said the reason was serious marital discord and other family issues.
Mr. Annarao, who was promoted a year ago as head constable and transferred to IRB, was found hanging in the hall of his house by family members in the morning. He leaves behind wife Seethabai, two married daughters, and two sons. Ms. Seethabai claimed that her husband had been withdrawn and upset for the last few days after his application for transfer was not taken into consideration.
Superintendent of Police N. Shashikumar, however, dismissed this claim. Mr. Annarao, he said, was alcoholic and not stable.
Mr. Shashikumar also flatly denied reports that said the deceased constable had asked his wife for Rs. 1 lakh to enable him to get a transfer. “This is mere speculation and nothing about this is mentioned in the suicide note,” he said.
Ms. Seethabai said her husband had not complained of any harassment by the higher ups.
She added that her husband had not shown any suicidal tendencies.
Earlier cases
The suicides of two Deputy Superintendents of Police — Kallappa Handibag and M.K. Ganapathy — had shocked Karnataka earlier in the month. This was followed by a woman sub-inspector in Bengaluru, Roopa Tambad, who attempted suicide earlier this week.
