SHO suicide case: FIR against Rajendra Rathore, 200 others for violating COVID-19 lockdown

Jaipur: An FIR has been registered against seven identified and nearly 200 unidentified people for staging a demonstration after Rajgarh (Churu) SHO Vishnudutt Bishnoi committed suicide on May 24.

Those named in the FIR include deputy leaders of opposition in Rajasthan assembly Rajendra Rathore and former BSP MLA from Rajgarh Manoj Nyangali. In the FIR, it has been stated that the people violated COVID-19 lockdown guidelines when they gathered outside the police station. The case will be investigated by CID-CB as the FIR is against a sitting legislator.

SHO Rajgarh Vishudutt Bishnoi had committed suicide by handing himself at his residential quarters on the police station premises on May 24. Some politicians including Rajendra Rathore visited Rajgarh and demanded a judicial probe after it was alleged that the SHO was under stress due to political pressure.

As per the lockdown guidelines, there is a ban on gathering of people; however, the people didn’t follow these guidelines endangering human lives, the FIR states. The case was registered under sections 4/5 of the Rajasthan Epidemic Diseases Ordinance 2020, section 51 of Rajasthan Disaster Management Act and section 269 and 270 of IPC.

The suicide case is being investigated by the CID-CB. A CID-CB team is camping in Rajgarh to probe the matter. Two suicides notes were recovered by the police; however, no one was implicated in these notes. In a WhatsApp chat with a social activist, SHO Bishnoi had allegedly stated that he was feeling stressed due to ‘dirty politics’ in the area.