Geetu Ram Tanwar, a suspended Superintending Engineer with Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (UHBVN), was found dead inside his car in Karnal on Monday, August 31, the day he was scheduled to retire. His family has alleged that prolonged caste-based discrimination, departmental action and harassment pushed him to take the extreme step.
Tanwar, 58, was found unresponsive inside his parked car near a school in Sector 9. Police suspect that he may have consumed a poisonous substance. The exact cause of death will be established through the post-mortem examination.
Police also recovered an alleged four-page suicide note naming several officials, including senior officers of the Power Corporation. The note reportedly accused them of harassing Tanwar and subjecting him to caste-based discrimination.
Family Alleges Caste Discrimination
Tanwar’s family has alleged that he faced repeated caste discrimination from senior colleagues and other officials during his posting in Sonipat.
According to his wife Priti Tanwar’s complaint, XENs Ranbir Deswal and Ashwani Kaushik and SDOs Satish Goyat and Pradeep Kumar allegedly discriminated against her husband and did not treat him as their senior officer.
The family claims Tanwar had repeatedly informed senior authorities about the alleged discrimination and sought action, but his complaints were not properly addressed.
They also alleged that Tanwar had been transferred from a coveted post because some senior officials did not want him to continue there. Tanwar approached the court against the transfer and obtained a stay, according to the family.
Edited Video Led to Suspension, Family Says
The family has also alleged that a video recorded at the Sonipat DC camp office was later edited and circulated on social media to damage Tanwar’s reputation.
Tanwar was suspended in April after a video went viral in which he was allegedly heard making caste-related remarks. He had maintained that the video had been recorded months earlier and was edited before being circulated.
His daughter, Niti Tanwar, alleged that some officials had encouraged her father to make certain remarks jokingly and that the recording was later edited.
“My father had also publicly apologised despite having done nothing wrong, but no action was taken against those who captured, edited and circulated the video,” she said.
The controversy was followed by a police case against Tanwar. His family says the incident and subsequent suspension caused him severe mental stress.
Left Home to Submit ‘Last Letter’
Niti said her father left home on Monday morning and told the family that he was going to submit his “last letter” to senior authorities.
“When we started looking for him, his car was found parked near a school in Sector 9. My father was lying on the back seat and was unresponsive. We rushed him to hospital, where doctors declared him dead,” she said.
The family initially refused to allow the post-mortem or take the body for cremation, demanding action against those named in the alleged suicide note.
FIR Registered After Family Protest
An FIR was subsequently registered on the complaint of Priti Tanwar. Police invoked Section 3(1)(s) of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and Sections 108 and 351(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
The complaint names several Power Corporation officials and other individuals, including XENs, SDOs, an IAS officer and people accused of allegedly harassing Tanwar on social media.
Police said they were verifying the allegations contained in both the suicide note and the family’s complaint.
“We have registered an FIR and are verifying the allegations made in the suicide note,” Superintendent of Police Narender Bijarniya said.
SIT Formed, Family Agrees to Cremation
Following discussions between the administration and the family, an SIT was constituted to investigate Tanwar’s death and the allegations of harassment. The team includes IPS officer Ravindra, DSP Meena and Sector-9 police post in-charge Sandeep Kumar, according to the family.
The administration also assured the family that Tanwar’s pending retirement-related matters would be expedited and his retirement benefits released. The family was further assured that his suspension would be reviewed and the process concerning his service status would be taken up.
After receiving these assurances, the family agreed to proceed with the cremation. Tanwar’s daughter performed his last rites.
However, members of the community who had gathered to demand justice expressed anger over the decision to proceed with the cremation before arrests were made.
Community representatives said Tanwar had left behind allegations of injustice and demanded that those responsible be identified and prosecuted.
