Police station in-charge death case: SIT set up

The Sahibganj police constituted a five-member special investigation (SIT) team into the recent death of Rupa Tirkey, officer in-charge of women’s police station in the district, officials said on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the Opposition and tribal bodies demanded a CBI enquiry into the case.

Twenty six-year old Tirkey was found hanging inside her official quarters at police line in Sahibganj on Monday night. Sahibganj superintendent of police (SP) Anuranjan Kispotta said, “We have set up a five-member special investigation team, comprising two deputy superintendents of police, one inspector and two sub-inspectors to probe the case. We are waiting for the postmortem examination report. I have requested the doctors to provide it at the earliest.”

According to Tirkey’s roommate, the quarters’ door was locked from inside when she returned home from duty around 8.30pm on Monday. When the door was broken, Tirkey was found hanging in a room, she told the police.

Even though police said prima facie it appeared to be case of suicide, Tirkey’s family members, who live in Ranchi’s Ratu area, suspected murder. Her mother Padmawati Orain on Tuesday lodged a complaint with Sahibganj police station, alleging that Tirkey was being tortured by two female police officials.

Former chief minister and senior BJP leader Babulal Marandi on Tuesday evening tweeted a copy of Padmawati’s complaint and demanded CBI enquiry into the case. “In view of gravity of the case, I would request chief minister Hemant Soren that her postmortem examination be conducted by senior doctors of medical college and the case be immediately handed over to the CBI,” Marandi said.

Ranchi’s Hatia legislator Naveen Jaiswal also wrote a letter to the CM minister on Wednesday for the same. “I would request the CM to conduct a CBI probe so that the tribal police officer gets justice,” he said.

Several tribal outfits in the state also demanded proper investigation into the case. Former Tribal Advisory Council (TAC) member Ratan Tirkey requested the CM, home secretary and director general of police (DGP) that the case should not be probed as a case of suicide, as “circumstantial evidences tell a different story”.