A Dalit man, having served more than twenty years of service in the Rajasthan police force allegedly committed suicide in Jaipur on Thursday, leading to protests by Dalit rights groups.
According to reports, Babu Lal Bairwa left his home on the morning of August 22 to work at the Bhankrota police station but was later found hanging inside a police outpost.
Family members of Bairwa received a call from his friends in the police force, informing them that he had posted a suicide note in their WhatsApp group.
Tanuj, Bairwa’s son, was quoted in local media reports, as saying, “A fellow officer called us to say that my father had posted a suicide note in their WhatsApp group and they are currently searching for him. Later, they discovered that he had hanged himself inside the police outpost.”
In the note, Bairwa addressed his son, advising him to stay strong, while expressing despair and acknowledging that he could no longer bear his circumstances. He also named three police officers and a journalist whom he accused of harassment.
Bairwa claimed that he and a few other police officers were suspended last year due to a land dispute, and he believed that he was targeted and mistreated by these individuals.
An FIR was filed based on the complaint by Bairwa’s son, stating that his father had been under pressure for the past year because of ACP Anil Sharma, additional SP Jagdish Vyas, sub-inspector Aashutosh Singh, and journalist Kamal Degda. These officials allegedly harassed Bairwa, causing him immense mental stress. The family have demanded the arrest of the three police officials and the journalist mentioned in the suicide note, as well as a job for one family member.
On Monday, the Dalit activists have been protesting outside SMS Hospital mortuary for the fourth day. Meena Devi, the wife, and Tanuj, the son of Babu Lal Bairwa, released a video stating that they would take action if a post-mortem is conducted without their consent.
Jaipur police have handed over the investigation to a senior official and are examining the contents of Bairwa’s suicide note.
What was written in the six-page suicide note?
The incident dates back to August 8, 2023, when a land dispute case arose at Bhankrota police station. The police arrested one party under Section 151 and gave possession of the land to the other party.
Later, the arrested party filed a report, which was confirmed during the investigation. Bhankrota’s former SHO, Chainaram, ASI Surendra, and Head Constable Babulal were suspended. The departmental inquiry into the matter is still pending at police headquarters.
Head Constable Babulal, who had been reinstated in January, was transferred to the Crime Branch at the DCP West office. For two weeks, he had been visiting Bhankrota police station to hand over the duties of the maalkhana (property room).
On Thursday, Babulal shared a six-page suicide note with friends and colleagues before hanging himself around 11:30 AM at the outpost, while overseeing items related to the maalkhana.
In the suicide note, Head Constable Babulal wrote about suffering harassment for 11 months. He mentioned that due to the false suspension, society and relatives treated him as if he had committed a murder. Babulal also requested a CBI investigation into the three cases related to his suspension.
Furthermore, he asked for his five months of pending salary to be given to his children and requested a job for his son Tanuj in any position.
On Saturday, retired Additional SP and former General Secretary of the Ambedkar Welfare Society, Anil Gothwal, attempted to mediate, but the situation reached an impasse due to demands for immediate arrests.
