Youth commits suicide, SGPC employee booked

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, October 14

A Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) employee posted at a Fatehgarh Sahib gurdwara was booked by the Government Railway Police on the charges of abetment to suicide.

He allegedly duped a local youth, identified as Karamjit Singh, a resident of Verka, on the pretext of providing him with a regular job in the SGPC. The victim’s family borrowed money to fulfil the demand of the SGPC member, identified as Avtar Singh Raya. When Raya did not provide him with a regular job, Karamjit Singh committed suicide by jumping before a train.

Before taking the extreme step, Karamjit Singh posted pictures of the suspect on a social networking site while appealing to his friends to share his post as his last wish. He also accused the committee members of taking bribery in his post.

Jatinder Singh, the father of the deceased, said Karamjit Singh used to work in a gurdwara in Fatehgarh Sahib on a temporary basis. Raya promised him to provide him with a regular job in the SGPC while demanding Rs 50,000. Ranjit Singh incurred a debt and gave the money to him. However, he did not provide him with a regular job.

The family complained to SGPC president Kirpal Singh Badungar, who reportedly reprimanded Raya and asked him to return the money. He said after this, Raya started harassing the family in one way or the other. Karamjit Singh was perturbed over this. He went missing on Wednesday evening. Next day, the GRP found his body on the railway tracks.