Domestic Help Dies By Suicide After Theft Allegations By Ex-Judge

 A retired judge and his wife were booked in connection with the suicide of a domestic help who was allegedly harassed by them, police on Thursday said.

According to an officer, Mahesh Nishad had been working as a cook at the home of retired judge Anil Shrivastav and his wife Vandana in the Aliganj area of the city for the past few years.

The couple accused Nishad of a theft at home around Holi and harassed him, the person said, citing a complaint.

Moved by the "continuous harassment," Nishad, in his mid-thirties, on Tuesday hanged himself at his home, when others, including his two children, were away, the local police officer said.

Before he killed himself, Nishad recorded a video on his mobile phone saying he was going to commit suicide.

He also testified that he had not committed the theft and it was done by someone else, the officer said.

Nishad's family alleged he was under immense pressure because of the accusation. "My Papa was tortured and the police are also not listening to us," Nishad's minor son alleged in a video.

Assistant Commissioner of Police (Hazratganj) Vikash Kumar Jaiswal said that based on Nishad's family's complaint, the couple was booked at the Hazratganj Police Station.

"Police have taken cognizance of the video and have initiated an investigation into the case. We are gathering evidence and probing details of the matter. The video has also been sent to the forensic lab for examination," Mr Jaiswal told PTI.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)