Media-persons charged with abetting suicide

Police have registered a case of abetment of suicide against some 'unknown' media-persons for egging on a depressed man to immolate himself in Bihar's Gaya district on Independence Day.

"We have registered a case against some unknown media-persons belonging to television news channels under section 306 of Indian Penal Code for aiding and abetting suicide of Manoj Mishra on the basis of the statement by Ramakant Sharma, the guard posted at Sudha Dairy at the time of the incident," Superintendent of Police Amit Jain told PTI.

The man was reportedly depressed at not being given dues of over Rs 2 lakh by Sudha Dairy but officials there denied that the deceased had any dues. Jain alleged that Tuesday's incident was initiated by media-persons

who had accompanied Mishra and even made available diesel and a matchbox to commit the act.

In his dying declaration to the police, Mishra said he had attempted suicide as the officials of the dairy were not clearing his dues. He held general manager of district unit of the dairy, U C Verma, contractor Rahul Singh, an employee Arun Singh and an accountant S N Mishra, responsible for his plight.

Jain said the deceased's wife Poonam Mishra had also registered an first information report blaming Verma and Rahul Singh for her husband's death. However, Cooperatives of Milk Producers Federation chief Aamir Subhani said the money that the dairy owed to the deceased was received by him before he took his life.