Dehradun: The Uttarakhand Police have constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the suicide of a 39-year-old farmer in Kathgodam, Udham Singh Nagar district, who allegedly took his own life after claiming he was cheated of ₹4 crore in a land transaction. The deceased, a resident of Paiga village, reportedly shot himself at a hotel in Gaulapar on the night of January 10–11.

A video that surfaced on social media showed the farmer accusing several individuals, including police personnel in Kashipur, of cheating him. In the video, he alleged that he neither received the land he had paid for nor was his money returned. Additionally, the deceased had sent an email detailing similar accusations, prompting the police to take action.

Transfers and Suspensions

In response to the incident, the Uttarakhand Police have transferred 12 officers with immediate effect. These include three sub-inspectors, one assistant sub-inspector, one head constable, and seven constables, who had been previously suspended in connection with the case. They have been relocated to Chamoli and Rudraprayag districts in the Garhwal range.

Formation of Special Investigation Team

The five-member SIT has been constituted under the supervision of Inspector General (IG) of the Special Task Force (STF) Nilesh Anand Bharne. The team comprises:

• Superintendent of Police (SP), Champawat: Ajay Ganpati
• Circle Officer, Tanakpur: Vandana Verma
• Inspector, Champawat: Diwan Singh Bisht
• Sub-Inspector, Champawat: Manish Khatri

The SIT has been tasked with probing the claims made in the social media video, as well as the allegations against local individuals and police personnel mentioned in the deceased’s email.

The police department emphasized that the SIT’s investigation will focus on ensuring a thorough and impartial examination of all claims and circumstances leading to the farmer’s death.

This case has sparked widespread concern over issues of land fraud and alleged complicity by officials, underlining the challenges faced by farmers and the need for accountability in local administrative processes.

Support for Mental Health: Discussions surrounding suicides can be distressing. It is important to note that suicides are preventable. Anyone experiencing distress or knowing someone in crisis should contact a mental health professional or the nearest support services for immediate assistance.