Drugs case accused jumps off court building, dies

GURDASPUR: A 28-year-old youth, who was booked under NDPS Act, committed suicide by jumping off from the third floor of the district court complex, Gurdaspur, on Wednesday. He was rushed to the civil hospital in critical condition, however, he could not be saved.

The deceased—Sukhdev Singh of Bhangali village under Majitha police station in Amritsar district—was brought to the court in a Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS) case after he was booked under Sections 21/29/61/85 of the NDPS Act by Kalanaur police in Gurdaspur on October 7.

Gurmit Kaur and her brotherin-law Baldev Singh, both residents of Chanduwadala, who were arrested with 1,030 intoxicating tablets and were sent to judicial custody a few days ago, had revealed Sukhdev’s name to police during interrogation. “They said they used to purchase drugs from Sukhdev Singh,” said Kalanaur station house officer (SHO) Sarbjit Singh.

Sukhdev’s elder brother Satnam Singh told HT that the police and Gurdaspur CIA staff had picked him merely on suspicion from Bhangali village on October 7. He said his brother was implicated in a false case as nothing was recovered from him. Satnam also said that his brother was suffering from depression and was receiving treatment from an Amritsar based neurologist. Satnam said that his brother used to work in a medical store in Bhangali and he was not involved in contraband business. Eyewitnesses claimed that Sukhdev was not handcuffed while being produced in the court which is how he managed to climb the third floor of the court complex and commit suicide by jumping off the building.

“He had taken his arrest to heart, which is why he ended his life,” added Satnam Singh.

COPS SAID TWO PEDDLERS HAD NAMED THE DECEASED BUT HIS BROTHER SAID HE WAS PICKED UP ON MERE SUSPICION