Goa CM accused of abetting suicide

The Congress in Goa filed a police complaint on Sunday accusing Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar of allegedly abetting the suicide of a suspended official of the Mines and Geology Department.

Congress leader Sudip Tamankar lodged the complaint at Ponda police station claiming that Bhave and five other officials were suspended for their alleged involvement in the illegal mining activity and Bhave, an assistant geologist, killed himself because of the harassment meted out to him.

The complaint said Parrikar should be interrogated and booked for his alleged role in the suicide.

Bhave committed suicide by hanging himself at his residence in Ponda town on September 21. His family had alleged that Bhave was humiliated, mentally tortured and harassed by the Geology Department after the suspension, which forced him to take the extreme step. A senior police official said accusations made in the complaint will be studied before taking further action.

Meanwhile, BJP’s Goa spokesman Wilfred Mesquita said the Congress was “trying to gain mileage from the suicide.” He said the officer should have faced the inquiry instead of killing himself.