DYING DECLARATION OF GAWAS WILL HAUNT HIS SENIOR COPS (Courtesy Herald)

PANJIM:  “Jiv di (give your life)”. This is what PI Vast reportedly said when constable Gawas asked for leave  Police driver Chandru Gawas who spent almost four days in the hospital following a suicide attempt, died while he remained unconconsious almost throughout the day Tuesday evening.

The 33-year-old police driver, who would have been married by July 9, consumed ‘ratol’ while on duty last Friday allegedly due to harassment by seniors.

He was rushed to a private hospital by his colleagues and cousin after he began vomiting continuously. The doctors on examining him stated he had consumed poison.

As his condition deteriorated, the victim was shifted to Goa Medical College’s ICU ward on Monday evening.

Sources said that alleged harassment by seniors and growing exasperation at work place might have forced him to take an extreme step.

A police inquiry was launched but no case was registered until his death. Panjim police have registered a case of unnatural death. “If the investigation points out any suspicion, we will register another case…” North Goa Superintendent of Police Arvind Gawas said.

In his dying declaration to the Special Judicial Magistrate (SJM) Maria Mascarenhas, the constable has reportedly named three senior Crime Branch officers including Deputy Superintendent of Police Chandrakant Salgaonkar and police inspectors Sunita Sawant and Pravin Vast, for harassment.

“We are yet to receive the SJM’s report. We will seek for the report from the Court and all the names in his dying declaration would be investigated,” the officer said.

The victim’s family said Chandru did not have personal worries. Chandru was posted at Crime Branch as a police driver.

Shortly  two hours before his death, a relative confirmed that Chandru did not endure any personal tensions but, he also did not share his work problems.

“As far as I know he did not have any personal tension. He was infact ecstatic over his marriage which was scheduled for July 9…” said a cousin requesting anonymity.

The family is shattered by his death.

Medical Superintendent Dr Rajan Kunkolienkar said “The vital organs stopped functioning. The liver and kidneys were badly affected. He became restless and hence he was put on intermediate oxygen. He struggled to breathe,” Dr Kunkolienkar said.

Asked whether the poison could have been cleansed from the internal body system, Kunkolienkar replied in negative.

Director General of Police Aditya Arya, North Goa Superintendent of Police Arvind Gawas and other officers met Chandru on Monday hours after he was shifted from the private clinic to the GMC..

NIZ GOENKAR ADDS: Chandrakant Salgaoncar is a known harasser of lower rank police personnel.  He even had gone to the extend of getting a police constable beaten up by some goondas and keeping his gold chain worth Rs 15 to 20 thousand rupees back in 1983 at Valpoi when he was a PSI.