PUNE: The suicide of an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer posted as superintendent of police (Railways) in Nagpur yesterday has caused ripples in Maharashtra, exposing extra-martial affairs among police officials in the state.
Mujeeb Usman Karjatkar, 38, who served as assistant commissioner of police in Pune a few years ago, shot himself with his service revolver in the forehead after being harassed by a Muslim woman who worked as a stenographer for Pune police. He committed suicide in his office late night.
In a suicide note, Karjatkar said the woman was harassing him and that she had forced him to commit suicide. “She is responsible for triggering my end,” Karjatkar wrote, adding that the woman was lodging false complaints against him for the past 10 days. He also wrote that the woman would phone him and attempt to ruin his marriage by involving his wife, Fauzia.
According to initial investigations, Karjatkar argued with his wife over his affair with the stenographer at their home on the night of the incident.
Although Karjatkar’s suicide note directly blames the stenographer for his decision to end his life, police are still waiting for his wife to lodge a formal complaint.
Police Inspector Sharif Khan, investigating officer of Ajni police station, said the police would have to undertake several other formalities such as verifying the dead officer’s handwriting before taking action. “We have registered a case, but have made no arrests so far. We are going to question the stenographer whose name has been mentioned in the suicide note,” Khan said.
Additional Commissioner of Police (Pune South) Prabhat Kumar told the media, “I cannot comment on the matter. It is a matter of the police department and shall be decided as per the rules. Except for some personal affair, there is nothing concerning the police department.”
When the stenographer was contacted, she said, “You are attaching my name with Karjatkar today. Maybe tomorrow you will attach my name with some other officer. I do not want to comment on how my name has figured in the suicide note. I will make a detailed statement when the right time comes. I’m under tremendous stress due to the incident and not in a condition to comment more. I’m going to the hospital, so kindly do not disturb me,” the stenographer said.
A senior official told Arab News that many senior and top ranking IPS officers, both male and females, in the Maharashtra police are involved in extra-martial affairs. The discipline has gone to dogs, he said, adding that the extra-martial affairs of IPS officers are no secret.
He also said such officers get away on flimsy grounds that it is their personal affairs and not related to work. He added, but then, the question is what morals and examples they are putting forth? The truth is that the state police force is now in shambles and is worth to be placed in the hall of shame.
