Former Uttarakhand Minister dies by suicide after being booked for molesting granddaughter

Former Uttarakhand Minister Rajendra Bahuguna shot himself dead atop a water tank days after being accused by his daughter-in-law of molesting his granddaughter.

Bhupinder Singh Dhoni, Circle Officer (CO) Haldwani, informed that Bahuguna's daughter-in-law accused him of molesting his granddaughter. 

He was booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. "Another case was registered against him on the complaint of a neighbour Savita, who accused him of abusing, threatening, and attacking her when she was walking with her mother-in-law," Dhoni informed.

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Before dying of suicide, Bahuguna had called the police, then climbed on a water tank and killed himself using a pistol. Following the suicide, the police registered a case of abetment to suicide against the daughter-in-law.

"A police team rushed to the spot and after a long dialogue, had convinced him to get down. But then he abruptly took the gun and shot himself in the chest. He was then rushed to the hospital. Several attempts to resuscitate him were made," Dhoni added.

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When asked about the possible reason for the suicide, the CO said that the reason is not clear yet, "but he was upset over the case and allegations." 

Bahuguna, a Uttarakhand Roadways employee, was given the status of minister of state in Uttarakhand's first elected government in 2002.