Two Assam govt officials held for 'abetment' of suicide of junior staff

Two senior officials of the Assam government were arrested for alleged abetment of suicide of a junior staff, the police said on July 24.

A woman assistant engineer of the Public Works Department (PWD), who hailed from Guwahati and posted in Bongaigaon, was found dead at her apartment on Tuesday, July 22.

She had allegedly named the duo in a suicide note, claiming that she was facing extreme stress at her workplace.

"We have arrested the two persons named in the suicide note. One is an executive engineer of the PWD and the other a sub-divisional officer," Bongaigaon SSP Mohan Lal Meena told PTI.

Both of them were transferred out of the district earlier this month. While the executive engineer was promoted and posted in Nalbari district, the SDO was moved to Kamrup, he said.

"They have been sent to judicial custody. We have got permission to interrogate them and carry out our investigation," Meena said.

He said that police are verifying the allegations in the suicide note found beside the body of the woman.

"She said in the note that the two arrested officials put immense pressure on her regarding the construction of a mini stadium in Bongaigaon. She also alleged that they had forced her to pass inflated bills submitted by a contractor," another official said, requesting anonymity.