Maharashtra: Amravati court sentences 14-day judicial custody to accused in forest ranger suicide case

A Dharni court on Tuesday sent Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer B Vinod Shivkumar to 14 days of judicial custody in connection with the suicide of Range Forest Officer (RFO) Deepali Chavan on March 25.

A Dharni court on Tuesday sent Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer B Vinod Shivkumar to 14 days of judicial custody in connection with the suicide of Range Forest Officer (RFO) Deepali Chavan on March 25. Deepali, a 34-year-old ranger known as 'Lady Singham', allegedly died by suicide after she shot herself at her government residence in Harisal. The incident occurred around 8 pm on Thursday.

"He (Shivkumar) used to disturb my daughter regularly, he used to use abusive language with her. After this, Deepali came to me and cried. She could not tolerate it. She repeatedly complained to Reddy sir, but he took no action. He should have taken action, everyone knew that he used inappropriate language in a state of intoxication. He should be hanged," said Deepali's mother Shaktuntala Chavan. Calling this incident a 'murder', Shubhangi Dehankar, RFO Dharni, said: "He has claimed three lives. Earlier, Deepali had to undergo an abortion due to him. When she died, she was pregnant. What would have been her mental health? How much he had tortured her for her to take this extreme step. We demand to take her body on foot."

In her suicide note addressed to ex-Regional Director of Melghat Forest Reserve MS Reddy, Deepali blamed Shivkumar for her death, claiming that he used to repeatedly threaten her with suspension and abused her in front of staff and other people. She also said that he used to send notices against her and never listened to her side. The deceased forest officer also wrote that despite being pregnant, she was called on duty, which led to her abortion. He also used to call her alone at odd times and used inappropriate language, of which she had earlier notified Reddy, she wrote.

Following Deepali's suicide, Shivkumar was arrested on March 26 by Amravati police. Meanwhile, the Maharashtra government suspended Reddy in Deepali's suicide case, whom the deceased ranger had also accused of harassment.

Yesterday, Maharashtra Women and Child Welfare Minister Yashomati Thakur had met Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray demanding suspension of Reddy from his post. Belonging from the Satara district, Deepali had cleared the State Service Commission examination in 2014 and her first posting as an RFO was at Dhulghat Railway. She was later posted in Gugamal Forest Reserve under Melghat Tiger Reserve. (ANI)

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