A jail warder serving at the Sirsa District Jail in Haryana has allegedly died by suicide, leaving behind two notes that accuse senior officials of sustained mental harassment. The incident has sent shockwaves through the prison department and led to the registration of a police case.
The Tragic Incident and Immediate Aftermath
The deceased has been identified as Sukhdev Singh, a resident of Hijrawan Khurd village in Fatehabad district. According to police reports, Singh had been working as a warder at Sirsa Jail for the past seven years. The tragic sequence of events unfolded on Thursday evening when Sukhdev Singh consumed poison.
Before taking this extreme step, he reportedly called his son, Jaspal, informing him of his decision and directly blaming continuous harassment by two officers: jail DSP Varun Godara and line officer Phool Kumar. The family rushed to the location within an hour. Sukhdev Singh was first taken to the Civil Hospital and later referred to a private facility, where he succumbed during treatment later that night.
Allegations of Harassment Detailed in Suicide Notes
The police recovered two suicide notes from the deceased. One note, addressed to his family, contained the poignant line: "I lost to these brutes. Take care of yourself and your mother." A second note was addressed to the director general of prisons and the superintendent of prisons, detailing the alleged harassment.
In his notes, Sukhdev Singh wrote that he had been suffering from heart disease for six years and had two stents implanted. He claimed that on December 14, he requested DSP Godara not to assign him night duty due to his health, which angered the officer. He alleged he was harassed for the next 15 days.
The situation escalated on December 31 when he had an argument with jail officials over a change in duty. Following this, he was sent for a medical examination at the Civil Hospital on suspicion of alcohol consumption and was recalled to the jail on January 1. Singh wrote that despite apologising publicly on New Year's Day, with fellow guards pleading on his behalf, the line officer continued the harassment. He claimed he was made to stand on duty for long hours without being formally assigned work.
FIR Registered and Family's Allegations
Acting on a formal complaint filed by his son Jaspal, the Sirsa Civil Lines police registered a case against DSP Varun Godara and line officer Phool Kumar for allegedly abetting the suicide. Jaspal has stated that his father faced mental torture for 10-15 days prior to his death.
In a serious additional allegation, the complainant also claimed that his father was subjected to caste-based abuse, which further pushed him towards taking his own life. The notes and the family's complaint paint a picture of a work environment marked by intimidation and humiliation.
The case has highlighted serious concerns about the working conditions and internal dynamics within the prison system. An investigation is now underway based on the FIR and the contents of the suicide notes left by the deceased jail warder.
