PHE retired employees ‘forced’ to commit suicide

Police registers case

Baramulla, Jan 18: Police on Wednesday registered a case against PHE Division Baramulla after a retired employee committed suicide for not getting his Pension and Service Book documents cleared from the clerical staff from past four years.
Abdul Qayoom the son of the deceased employee told that his father Muhammad Ramzan Itoo, a PHE employee had attained superannuation in 2012 and since then he was regularly visiting PHE Division Baramulla to get his Pension and Service Book documents cleared from the clerical staff. “As usual he went to the PHE Division Baramulla where he came to know that some clerics have used his service book record to secure a loan of Rs 1.50 lakhs. My father was shocked and consumed some poisonous substance. He was shifted to Sub-District Hospital Pattan where he breathed his last.”
The family members alleged that from past four years, the clerical staff used to demand bribe from the deceased to clear his documents.
The postmortem that was conducted in presence of Tehsildar Pattan Syed Faheem confirmed that it was a suicidal death. Family members holding clerical staff of the PHE Division Baramulla responsible for the death of Muhammad Ramzan Itoo registered a complaint in police station Pattan.
A senior police official confirmed that a formal case vide FIR number 5/2017 under section 309 has been registered and investigation has been taken up. “We will record the statements of family members of the deceased and according action will be initiated,” the police official said.
Executive Engineer PHE Division Baramulla Zaffar Ahmed said that he will initiate a probe if family members submit a complaint before the department.