MP police to register case against Amazon officials in suicide case

Madhya Pradesh home minister Narottam Mishra on Thursday ordered registration of an First Information Report against officials of Amazon over the suicide of a youth who allegedly obtained poisonous sulphas tablets through the e-commerce site.

The deceased's father met Mishra in Indore earlier in the day.

Sulphas is used as an agricultural fumigant and is poisonous.

“I have taken cognisance of a youth ending his life by ordering sulphas online from Amazon and directed officials to register a case against the concerned officials and summon them for questioning,” Mishra told reporters in Indore.

“If they don't turn up even after getting a notice, then they should be brought through policiya ('police method') for questioning," the minister added.

Recently, Bhind district police in the state registered a FIR against unnamed Amazon India officials after busting a gang which allegedly supplied ganja under the guise of selling stevia (a natural sweetener) through the e-commerce portal.

“Amazon should clarify how someone can supply ganja and poison through an e-commerce platform. We have taken these incidents seriously and we will take strong legal action in the matter,” Mishra said.

The state government will also frame a policy and send it to the Centre so that illegal activities facilitated by online commercial sites can be curbed, he said.

Ranjeet Verma, a local fruit seller whose 18-year-old son allegedly died by suicide in July by consuming sulphas powder ordered online, met the home minister here earlier in the day and urged him to register a case against Amazon.

Verma alleged that Amazon delivered sulphas to his son without verifying documents.

Some persons were pressurising his son to return Rs 2 lakh that he had borrowed, according to Mishra.

An e-mail sent to Amazon India for comment did not receive any reply.