Assam Officials Arrested Over Alleged Abetment in Engineer's Suicide

Bongaigaon, July 24 (PTI) – In a significant development, two senior officials from the Assam government have been taken into custody, accused of involvement in the alleged abetment of a junior staff member's suicide, according to police statements on Thursday.

The incident involves an assistant engineer from the Public Works Department (PWD), originally from Guwahati and assigned to Bongaigaon, who was discovered dead at her residence on Tuesday.

In a suicide note purportedly left behind, she allegedly identified the two officials, stating she was under severe stress due to workplace pressures.

"The individuals named in the suicide note have been apprehended. They include an executive engineer from the PWD and a sub-divisional officer," Bongaigaon SSP Mohan Lal Meena informed PTI.

Both had been reassigned out of the district earlier this month; the executive engineer received a promotion and was stationed in Nalbari district, while the SDO was relocated to Kamrup, Meena stated.

"They are currently in judicial custody. We have secured authorization to question them further and continue our inquiry," Meena added.

According to the police, verification of the claims made in the suicide note found next to the deceased woman is ongoing.

The note alleged that the two arrested officials exerted excessive pressure on her concerning the construction of a mini stadium in Bongaigaon. Additionally, she claimed they coerced her into approving inflated bills submitted by a contractor, revealed another official who wished to remain anonymous.