Depressed over illness, former BJP MLA shoots self
Former BJP MLA from Pilibhit, Sukhlal Bharti, allegedly shot himself with his licensed revolver at his residence on Sunday, police said. Bharti represented Barkhera seat of Pilibhit from 2007 to 2012. He was 62 and was suffering from cancer.
SP, Pilibhit, Kalanidhi Nathani said Bharti allegedly shot himself at around 7 am in the balcony of his house in Vasundhara Colony of Sangadi area. “We have started preliminary investigation but prima facie it appears to be a case of suicide,” Nathani said. The body has been sent for post-mortem examination.
Bharti’s son Dhruv told HT said, “He was diagnosed with prostate cancer in December last year and his condition started deteriorating after May. Due to his condition, he was forced to remain confined in the house.”
Dhruv , his sister and mother were present in the house when the MLA shot himself. The family has not lodged a police complaint in this connection.
Bharti belonged to one of the oldest political families of the region. His father Krishna Lal Bharti represented Bharkera assembly constituency for seven terms. Sukhlal was a manager at Allahabad Bank and joined politics after the death of his father.
He was one of the front-runners for Barkhera seat in 2017 election but was denied a ticket by the BJP. He is survived by his wife and five children. Senior political leaders, including BJP MP from Bareilly Santosh Gangwar, expressed grief over Bharti’s death.