Nagpur Horror: Teen Accused in Sexual Assault Case Hangs Himself at Jaripatka Jail

In a shocking incident, a suspect arrested in a case of sexual assault on a minor girl committed suicide by hanging himself in the lockup of Jaripatka police station. This has created a wave of alarm, raising serious questions about the functioning and vigilance of the police personnel at the station. The deceased has been identified as Nagendrakumar Ramji Bhartiya (20, Madaripur, Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh), a final-year science student. He had contacted the minor girl within the jurisdiction of Jaripatka police station through Instagram and started communicating with her. He lured her into a romantic relationship and promised to marry her.

He had even come to Nagpur in December and insisted that she elope with him. About a week ago, he arrived in Nagpur and took her along. The girl’s family searched everywhere but failed to locate her, leading them to file a complaint at Jaripatka police station. The police registered a kidnapping case and launched a search operation. During the investigation, it was revealed that the girl was in Prayagraj. With the assistance of local police there, Nagendra was arrested, and the girl was handed over to her family. He was presented before the court on Wednesday, and a two-day police remand was ordered.

Being winter, he was provided with a blanket to cover himself. In the early hours, when supervision was minimal, Nagendra got up, tore the blanket, retrieved a container from the toilet, climbed onto it, tied the blanket to the lockup rod, and hanged himself. Some time later, police personnel arrived and found him in a hanging state. Senior officers were immediately informed, and the news quickly spread among the police circles. Preliminary assessments suggest that this incident occurred due to negligence by the Jaripatka police staff.

Nagendra’s parents reached Nagpur following the incident. On learning of their son’s suicide, his mother protested outside the station and fainted, while his father alleged that the police had not informed them about their son’s death. They claimed that relatives of the girl had demanded Rs 5 lakh to settle the case, and they had come to Nagpur with that money. Ramji, the father, alleged that the incident was entirely the responsibility of the police.

Although the suspect was a minor, he was booked under POCSO and kidnapping charges due to the nature of his actions, which had caused him fear. Monitoring inmates in the lockup is entirely the responsibility of the police staff. However, despite Nagendra tearing the blanket, retrieving a container from the toilet, and hanging himself, none of the staff noticed, raising many questions.

The case is now under investigation by the CID. The CID team has taken custody of the CCTV footage, station diary, and other relevant details. Responsibility for monitoring the inmates in the lockup rested with Rahul Chavan, Pramod Dudhkavre, and Abhay Kakode, while Nitin Atram was the duty officer. They are set to be questioned by the CID. Meanwhile, the entrance to the Jaripatka police station was closed until the CID team arrived, which also delayed Nagendra’s parents from entering the station for some time.