A 49-year-old owner of a medical shop in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, killed himself late last night evening allegedly after being troubled by his daughter’s wedding against the will of the family.
The victim, Rishiraj alias Sanju Jaiswal, was found dead in his bedroom by relatives who entered after hearing a gunshot at around 1 am. A gunshot wound to the temple was discovered, and he was pronounced dead there.
The Additional Superintendent of Police, Krishna Lalchandani, reports that there were recent turmoil days within Rishiraj’s family. A neighbourhood young person took his 15-year-old daughter home around 15 days back and never returned.
Daughter Legally Married, Chose Husband in Court
At a court hearing, the daughter had assured that she had married lawfully and decided to remain with her husband. This revelation is said to have worsened Rishiraj’s emotional distress, resulting in the tragic event.
Heart-wrenching Suicide Note Recovered
The police found a note scribbled on a copy of the daughter’s Aadhaar card printout. In the note, Rishiraj had written: “Harshita, you did something wrong, I am going away. I could have murdered both of you, but how could I murder my daughter?”
He also aired his anger towards the legal process and rights of parents, saying: “Daughter, what you did was not right. And the lawyer who sacrifices an entire family for some money – doesn’t he have daughters too? Doesn’t he know the agony of a father? One whole family has been ruined, and now there is nothing left in society.”
He also doubted the validity of Arya Samaj marriages: “I repeat, if the marriage under Arya Samaj is not legal, how can the court send the girl with him (her partner)? This has ruined our whole family. Nobody realized my agony.”
Father Had Been Depressed, Say Police
Further SP Niranjan Sharma also confirmed that the girl had married a boy from another community and the father had exhibited signs of depression in the days prior to the suicide. “Senior officers went to the spot. The suicide note is an indication of his extreme emotional distress,” Sharma added.
Rishiraj owned Babu Medical Store in the locality of Naka Chandrabadni and lived close to Bhairo Baba temple. He leaves behind his wife, son, and daughter.
Tensions Escalate After Death
After the suicide, tensions erupted in the area. Eyewitnesses said some of Rishiraj’s family members allegedly attacked the father of the man who had wed his daughter. He was dragged from his home and beaten into unconsciousness before being rushed to a local hospital.
Police have filed a case and initiated investigations into the suicide as well as the claimed assault. Forensic teams have visited the spot, and officials are also investigating Rishiraj’s phone for more evidence. Authorities have called for peace in the locality.
