I fear I may lose my job, soldier in sting video told family

Roy Mathew

Just minutes before his cellphone went offline on February 25, Lance Naik Roy Mathew (33) chillingly said to his wife Fini: "enikku ividey korachu problem unda, joleeyil prashnamayi, jolee paovum thonnunnu," (I have some problem here. It is related to my job, I fear I may lose it). Two days later, Mathew's family received the first of many phone calls inquiring about his location, and later, informing of his death.

Roy with his wife, Fini

According to Roy's family, after the sting about the Army's ‘sahayak' system aired on TV channels on February 23, wherein he was doing odd jobs at his superior's residence, he was afraid for his job.

He had spoken to the journalist in good faith, introduced to him by a colleague, and was not aware about the hidden camera.

Lance Naik Roy Mathew

After having been summoned and questioned earlier already by seniors at the Deolali Cantonment, when he spent yet another day in interrogation on February 25, he was completely shaken and called his wife at around 8.15 pm.

Last phone call home
"He was crying inconsolably. After that, we kept trying his number, but it remained switched off," said Thomas Kutty, his uncle from Kottarakara, Kerala.

He added, "We feared for the worst when two days later, we received a phone call from a colonel, enquiring if Roy was at Kerala. He had at the time been declared absent without leave and apprehension roll was registered with the police. We received more calls enquiring the same from Deolali."

As soon as the family first found out, they made a written submission to the Kerala state DGP at Thiruvananthapuram.

Family in dire straits
Incidentally, Roy's parents - Mathew Yabeth (58) and Delssy (50) - were just recovering from the grief of the demise of their second son Jacob Mathew, who died of cancer two years ago. His other brother's income is not sufficient and Roy was the family breadwinner.

"The family is very poor and they cannot afford to make any complaint or case against the Army or superior officers, because they do not want the government's monetary aid to get hampered," said Kutty. He, however, added, "Roy was not a coward and he cannot have committed suicide. So let there be an investigation without bias, and the truth will come out."

The mortal remains
Shiyju John (33), a cousin of Roy from Deolali, said, "We went to the spot where the body was found, an isolated barrack mere 300 meters from the quarters. We later claimed his body from the Nashik Civil Hospital and are taking the mortal remains to his hometown in Kerala on Saturday. The funeral should happen by 11 am at the local church in Kerala," additionally noting that, "The entire arrangement for transportation of the body was done by the Army."

Meanwhile, Dr Anant Pawar (MD Forensic), attached to the Nashik hospital, said, "After the autopsy, I have given a provisional cause - ‘death was due to asphyxia'. It is a clear case of hanging, as the ligature was complete and the rope was stuck to the neck when the body was brought for autopsy. Also, as a precaution, we have collected the viscera and the reports are awaited. Accordingly the final cause of death will be submitted."

Police investigation
The Deolali police has registered a case of Accidental Death and started recording statements. Interestingly, the investigating officer in the case was initially a head constable rank officer, as opposed to the expected sub-inspector or assistant police inspector.

When asked about it, senior police inspector GP Lokhare said, "As the head constable was on duty at the time of getting the information, he became the investigating policeman. But, we have now given the matter to an API rank officer to probe."

Senior Inspector Lokhare noted said that they first received a missing person's complaint, but on March 2, were informed that the missing man had been found hanging.

"We carried out the procedure, and sent the body to Nashik hospital for an autopsy," the officer said.

However, on the question of why the body was not sent to a government medical college for an expert opinion, the officer said, "As the doctor at the civil hospital had certified the cause of death, there was no need to seek another opinion."

Lokhare added, "We have found a three-page suicide note in Malayalam. The relatives who came to claim the body have also not raised any suspicion. Yet, we will probe the case from all angles and will not spare anyone in case we come across any evidence."

Interestingly, Shiyju has stated that the police did not show or mention any suicide note.

The Army's stand
"Preliminary investigation has now revealed that the suicide may be a result of a series of event which were triggered by media personnel managing to videograph the deceased by asking leading questions on his duties without his knowledge. It is very likely that the guilt factor of letting down his superiors or conveying false impression, that led to him taking the extreme step," a statement said.

It also read, "Since the identities of the Army personnel involved in the clipping was hidden and not known to the Army, there is no question of any enquiry that could have been ordered against the deceased."