Thane: Man chops off finger to protest police inaction in brother’s suicide case

A video grab of the clip made by Dhananjay

The police have finally taken action after the 43-year-old brother of a man who committed suicide on August 1 chopped off his index finger as an offering to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Maharashtra government. Dhananjay Nanaware also narrated his ordeal in the video clip that showed him chopping off his finger, with a warning that he would keep cutting off parts of his body and offer them to the government if the police inaction continues. Speaking to mid-day, DCP Shivraj Patil (Crime Branch) said, "During the probe, we came across four names mentioned in the suicide note by the deceased. They have been detained and we are currently questioning them.

Nandkumar Nanaware and his wife Ujjwala committed suicide on the afternoon of August 1 by jumping off the building they lived in. Both were rushed to Central Hospital, Ulhasnagar, where they were declared dead on arrival. Nandkumar had sent a more than five-minute-long video clip to several prominent persons in Ambernath and police officials as well. He also left a suicide note in his trouser pocket which mentioned the names of several people who had allegedly tortured him, causing the couple to take the drastic step.

After the incident, an FIR was filed against one Sangram Nikalje and unknown persons for abetting suicide. A case was registered under IPC Sections 306 (abetting suicide) and 34 (common intention). However, there was no progress in the case and Nandkumar's kin appealed to the top brass of Thane police to hand over the probe to the Crime Branch. The probe was transferred to the Anti Extortion Cell of Thane on August 11.

A grab from the video recorded by Nandkumar and Ujjwala Nanaware prior to their suicide

Depressed over not getting justice for his deceased brother, Dhananjay left his home on Friday morning and went to the poultry farm he owns. He then shot the video on his phone. "My brother and sister-in-law committed suicide… 20 days have gone by but there is no police action. We are consistently being pressured not to pursue the matter. An MP is involved in the case and my brother has also named him in the video shot before his death… but no action has been taken by the state government as well. The responsible persons have been named by my brother but how long will it take for some action? So I will give one part of my body to the government for their inaction… I hope they will be happy," he said in the video clip.

While recording the 2.49-minute-long video clip, Dhananjay chopped off the index finger of his right hand with a sharp weapon and showed it to the camera. He shared the video with his relatives and the Thane cops as well. He went to the Phaltan police station where he showed his finger to police officers and asked them to send it to the state government. Meanwhile, his relatives traced and took him to a nearby hospital where they were asked to take him to Pune for surgical reattachment. He underwent plastic surgery on Friday evening.

Speaking to mid-day, Dhananjay said, "Even after the probe was handed over nothing has happened in a week. The cops are still taking down our statements. But they haven't even called the persons Nandkumar mentioned in the video before committing suicide. They haven't been investigated and no arrests have been made. We don't know what is going on in the probe, but what we know so far is that there is complete inaction by the police."

According to Dhananjay's brother-in-law Ganesh Bankar, there has been displeasure in the family over how the probe was being conducted, but no one expected Dhananjay would take such a step. "We are currently in the Ruby Hall Hospital for the surgery where doctors are attempting to reattach his finger," he said, adding that Dhananjay lives with his wife and two sons. After the couple's death, their children have also been living with them. "Dhananjay did this as he couldn't handle the injustice.

When contacted, a senior crime branch official from Thane police said, "We had gone to Satara a few days ago and have registered statements of the family. It's been just a week since we were assigned this case. The probe is underway."

August 1
Day brother, sister-in-law committed suicide