Maharashtra: Man in Asangaon kills self and child, kin blame police

Vikas Kedare and daughter Aarya allegedly hanged themselves in their house at Asangaon

A 36-year-old man committed suicide along with his 11-year-old daughter over alleged harassment by a police officer in Asangaon on Tuesday evening. Vikas Kedare had been charged with abetting his wife's suicide. In his suicide note, he has blamed an assistant sub-inspector for torturing him for money, first to not register an abetment case against him (Kedare) and then to discharge him from it. His mother and a friend have also blamed the cop.

Kedare stayed in Asangaon with his wife Monali, daughter Aarya, and 65-year-old mother, Pushpalata. He was a marketing executive in a private firm and his wife also had a job in a private firm. On August 15, 2021, Monali consumed poison, and was declared dead before admission at a hospital. After a complaint from her relatives, Kedare and his mother were jailed for abetting suicide. Kedare spent 4 months in prison from December 2021 while his mother was jailed for two months.

Mother also blames cop

"Before registration of the FIR, Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) R S Kshirsagar called my son, and said there won't be a case against him if he pays him R1.50 lakh. My son felt if he hasn't done anything wrong, why he would be jailed." said Pushpalata. "But along with him, even I was jailed. We were alleged to have tortured Monali, forcing her to kill herself. We were shattered," she added. After he was released from jail, the ASI again demanded money from Kedare to quash the case against him and then made the demands frequently, she said. But Kedare didn't budge.

Monali, Vikas Kedare's wife, had consumed poison and died on August 15, 2021

Offered to help: friend

"I spoke to him 15 days ago, he was disturbed. I offered to help, saying I could talk to the senior police officer, but he said it will be of no use, since they have a case and will jail him anyhow after trial," said Shivaji Ragade, a friend of Kedare and spokesperson for NCP, Ulhasnagar.

On the evening of March 15, Kedare wrote a two-page suicide note blaming ASI Kshirsagar for his and his daughter's ordeal and then they allegedly hanged themselves in their flat. He wrote in the suicide note, "For the past seven months I was dying, I have gone through a lot. I wanted to make my daughter a doctor but couldn't. There are police officers like R S Kshirsagar, who just need money, and I don't have any to fulfill his demands. I don't have any way to take it further, so I have decided to end my life with my daughter".

Kedare had lost his job after being jailed. He had booked a flat in Asangaon and was unable to pay its EMI. The police said relatives were helping him but the alleged demands from the cop and challenge to run his family got the better off him and he fell into depression. On Wednesday, Ragade met Shahapur Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Navnath Dhawale and demanded action against Kshirsagar.

‘Probe abetment case'

"It was ASI Kshirsagar who is responsible for the death of Vikas and his 11-year-old daughter. Kshirsagar's consistent demands for bribes have resulted in this. I have also demanded a probe into the abetment of suicide case slapped against Vikas and his mother," Ragade said.

ASI Kshirsagar was unavailable for comment. SDPO Dhawale said, "We have filed an Accidental Death Report in the matter and the investigation is on. The deceased has written many reasons behind his drastic step including a police officer's alleged demands, but he has also written he doesn't have any complaints against anyone. We are investigating from all the angles."