Woman seeks euthanasia over jailor mother's 'harassment' by senior; writes to President Murmu

Varanasi: The daughter of a former deputy jailor here has written to President Droupadi Murmu to allow her to undergo euthanasia over alleged harassment of her mother by seniors over a complaint.

Neha Shah, the daughter of Meena Kanojia, said she felt hopeless in her pursuit of justice. "I have asked for permission to end my life because I know when you fight against those in power, your end is certain," she said.

Shah had last month claimed that she had filed a complaint against Varanasi District Jail Superintendent Umesh Kumar Singh at the Lalpur Pandeypur Police Station.

She alleged that her mother, a Scheduled Caste officer, faced mental and physical harassment from Umesh Singh for months. "He frequently humiliated my mother, used caste-based slurs, and hurled abuses at her in his office."

She now claimed that despite several harassment allegations against Umesh Singh, he continues to get clean chits from the prison headquarters.

"Most recently, four explicit videos allegedly featuring Umesh Singh's close aide Ashwani Pandey surfaced, showing him forcing a woman to undress inside what appears to be the jail office. Yet, authorities claimed the footage was not from the jail premises," Shah said.

The purported videos, widely circulated on social media, sparked public outrage but have not led to any formal action so far.

"I could have ended my life already, but if I do, people will blame my mother. I am certain she will be suspended soon just for speaking out against a powerful man," Shah said.

"If Umesh Singh is not suspended, he will destroy our entire family," she warned. In her complaint last month, Shah alleged that Umesh Singh made "obscene" gestures, pressuring her mother to visit his office and house, and coercing her to lure female inmates for him to exploit, she alleged.

"When my mother resisted, he threatened to end her career, harm our family, and even take our lives," she alleged.

She also claimed that Singh had a history of misconduct. "He did the same with former deputy jailer Ratan Priya. You can ask her," she wrote in her complaint.