Nellai CoP suspends head constable after suicide threat audio goes viral

TIRUNELVELI: Tirunelveli City Police Commissioner Deshmukh Shekhar Sanjay suspended a head constable for posting an audio message in a police group threatening to die by suicide, alleging harassment by two police personnel in the city.

“Ayya (addressing the City Police Commissioner), if I die, Inspector Alagar and SI Balamurugam will be responsible for my death. They are subjecting me to severe harassment, which has forced me to contemplate suicide. I have been serving in the department for 25 years,” Head Constable Joel Thangaraj said in the audio message.

The audio message, in which Joel Thangaraj made serious allegations against the two police personnel and expressed suicidal thoughts, has been spreading rapidly on social media for the past two days.

The audio message was brought to the notice of the City Police Commissioner. He initiated disciplinary action against Joel Thangaraj on September 24 for posting the audio message in the police group and causing it to circulate on social media without approaching his superior officers. The Commissioner also appointed an Assistant Commissioner of Police to inquire into the allegations made by Joel against the two police personnel.

Joel, a head constable attached to the Tirunelveli Government Medical College Hospital police station, joined the police force in 2002 and has been serving for around 25 years, a police source said.

In the audio, Joel alleged that he had been facing a heavy workload for the past 35 days and that Inspector Alagar had been subjecting him to severe harassment. He said this had caused him considerable mental distress.

Joel also claimed that he had met the Commissioner and sought a transfer to the Palayamkottai police station. He made an emotional appeal to the Police Commissioner to take steps to help him continue living.

Discussing suicides can be triggering for some. However, suicides are preventable. In case you feel distressed by the content or know someone in distress, call --- Sneha, Chennai: 91-44-2464 0050, 91-44-2464 0060; Maithri, Cochin: +91 239 6272; Sumaitri, New Delhi: 2338 9090; Aasra, Mumbai: 9820466726; Fortis MentalHealth: 8376804102.