Man facing trial under POCSO Act commits suicide
Jammu: A 25-year-old man, facing trial in a case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, allegedly committed suicide by jumping into river Tawi here, prompting police to order a high-level probe into the incident, officials said on Wednesday.
Akshay Kumar, a resident of Janipur locality of Jammu, reportedly jumped into the river from the third Tawi bridge on Tuesday but his body could not be traced so far due to increased water level following heavy rains over the past two days, they said.
Before taking such an extreme step, the man shot a video, which went viral on social media, claiming innocence and accusing the police and the victim’s family of harassment.
“We are deeply saddened by the unfortunate incident. A high-level enquiry into the matter to ascertain the facts and circumstances of the case headed by the SP City North has been ordered. The responsible person/s will be strictly dealt under law,” the police said in a statement on Wednesday.
A case under Section 309 (attempt to commit suicide) has already been registered at Nowabad police station and further investigation is on.
Kumar had secured interim bail in the case on March 13 on humanitarian grounds but the court had refused to extend his bail.
In the video, he accused the police of harassment over his COVID-19 test. (PTI)
Press Trust of India
