Ex-Uttarakhand Minister Kills Himself Days After Daughter-In-Law's Charge

An Uttarakhand politician, Rajendra Bahuguna, climbed a water tank and shot himself on Wednesday, three days after his daughter-in-law filed a case accusing him of molesting his granddaughter.

Mr Bahuguna, 59, reportedly dialed the police on the emergency number 112 from his home in Haldwani and told them about his suicide plan. He killed himself after the cops arrived, in front of horrified neighbours and witnesses.

"He was very upset about his daughter-in-law's allegation," senior police officer Pankaj Bhatt told NDTV.

When the police came, they saw Mr Bahuguna standing on the tank, threatening to shoot himself.

The police, using a loudspeaker, tried to talk him out of it but the politician kept repeating he had been falsely accused. At one point, it seemed he was ready to come down.

But then he suddenly shot himself in the chest and died on the spot.

Mr Bahuguna had been charged under the stringent Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act on the complaint of his daughter-in-law.

His daughter-in-law, her father and a neighbour who had accused him of assault have been charged with driving him to suicide, on a complaint by his son Ajay Bahuguna.

Mr Bahuguna, who was associated with the Congress, was given the status of a minister of state in the ND Tiwari government in 2004-5.

A roadways union leader, he used to work at the Haldwani Depot workshop and retired on October 31.