Sola suicide: Police squabble stalls probe

The proverb 'justice delayed is justice denied' can be aptly used in the Dinesh Patel suicide case. The police wasted one whole day without taking any measure to come up with anything conclusive in the case. Neither the railway police nor the Sola police are ready to investigate the case.

While the railway police are maintaining that Patel committed suicide in an area that comes under the Sola police station, and it is therefore not their responsibility to carry out further investigation, the Sola police have refused to investigate the case on grounds that the victim was tortured mentally in Navrangpura so the case does not fall under their jurisdiction. However, the Navrangpura police also refused to take the responsibility.

The railway police do not have the authority to investigate criminal cases, said railway police PSI Vinod Chaudhary.

Chaudhary also said that since the suicide was committed in a area under the jurisdiction of the Sola police, the latter should investigate the case. "But MM Makawana, PSI with Sola police, has refused to investigate the case," he said. Makawana, on the other hand, shirked responsibility saying Patel was allegedly harassed by the trustees of Bramhchari Wadi Trust in the area that comes under the jurisdiction of the Navarangpura police, and it is therefore not their responsibility to investigate the case further. Chaudhary further said,  "We have sought the intervention of Deputy Commissioner of Police of Zone One as both the police stations come under his purview," he said.

Brijesh Jha, DCP, could not be contacted for comment.