Police officer seemed deeply troubled, say personal staff
KANPUR: Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Surendra Kumar Das had cancelled all his engagements on Tuesday and did not come out of his residence after 4pm, his followers (personal staff) told the authorities on Wednesday. The followers posted at his residence also told the authorities Das seemed deeply troubled.
The officer was posted in Kanpur as superintendent of police (East) on August 7. His in-laws live in Sarvodaya Nagar, Kakadeo, on the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) campus.
His wife Raveena, pursuing a masters course in surgery, is a resident doctor at Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi Memorial (GSVM) Medical College here. Her father Ravendra Singh is a medical officer with the ESI Corporation and mother Reena Singh is a homemaker.
The in-laws had come down to Das’s residence in the evening and stayed back. The Singhs haven’t spoken about the purpose of their visit or why Das was distressed.
Additional director general of police (Kanpur zone) Avinash Chandra said the officer consumed poison under mysterious circumstances and the reason behind it was personal.
“Our priority right now is saving his life; we will investigate the reasons threadbare later,” he said.
The news of Das attempting suicide left the police shellshocked in Kanpur.
Some officers spoke to his followers in the house, who said Das had virtually locked himself in the room. Around 4pm, he told his gunner and driver that he won’t be going anywhere.
The staff at his residence saw him only when he was being taken to the hospital about 5am.
NEIGHBOURS AND FRIENDS IN PRAYER
Neighbours and family friends are praying for the life of Surendra Das, whose family stays in Ekta Nagar locality behind SGPGI in Lucknow. His family, including father RC Das, mother Indu Devi and younger brother Narendra Das, had reached Kanpur on Wednesday morning itself.
Surendra’s friends Karun Shanker Dixit and Sushil were found at his home, busy calling his family to know his condition.
His friends said Surendra was very studious since his school days and used to lock himself in a room for hours for studies when he was preparing for civil services examination. They said he came from a very humble background and worked very hard to clear the exam.