Father alleges foul play in army doctor’s death

Father alleges foul play in army doctor’s death
Preetu Nair | TNN

Panaji: Three days after the body of a 26-year-old army doctor was found hanging in the bathroom of his official quarter, the young medico’s father is alleging foul play.
Dr Hariram Yadav, whose only son Manu was found hanging with a nylon rope round his neck on Friday, refuses to believe it is a case of suicide. “He was happy in Goa and there was no reason to commit suicide,” he said. However, Dr Yadav added that Capt Manu was unhappy and depressed during his previous posting in Sikkim.
Police have registered an offence under Section 174 of CrPC and are probing whether it was suicide or murder. “Investigations are in the preliminary stage and we are looking into every aspect. We are verifying the army version as well as the family’s view point,” said SP (North) Bosco George.
The army’s officiating station commandant, Goa, said it “appears to be a case of suicide” but added that he could
not comment on the matter while inquiries by the police and the army were on.
Though he failed to put the motive behind his son’s alleged murder, Dr Yadav, a district medical officer from Haryana, claimed there was not enough medical evidence to corroborate the suicide theory. “If he had committed suicide by hanging, there should have been some injury in the brain or his eyes should have been protruding,” he said. What has further surprised the father is that no one in the army hospital realized that their colleague had not reported for duty at 8 am. His body was found an hour later.
The police surgeon’s autopsy report doesn’t say whether the death is suicidal or homicidal. “The report states that death is due to constriction of the neck caused by partial hanging (one leg was touching the stool) and no opinion as to the manner of death has been given. The viscera has been preserved for chemical analysis,” said a top police official. SUICIDE CASE
‘Family was planning to get Manu married’
Panaji: Ruling out that his son, an army doctor, Captain Manu was depressed, Dr Hariram Yadav said his son had joined the army of his free will and it was his life’s ambition to serve the nation.
“The only time he was depressed was during his last posting at Nathu La, Sikkim, where he was troubled and forced to issue false medical certificates to jawans. But once he was posted to Goa in May 2008, he was fine and didn’t complain,” he said.
The family was planning to get Capt Manu married and had posted his profile on online matrimonial sites. Capt Yadav’s only sister, also a doctor, lives in the US.
Though the police have recovered a handwritten suicide note signed by Capt Manu, the father believes that his son could never have written the
letter. The one-page note said that he was disturbed with life as he had troubled lots of people and was therefore ending it to ensure that he doesn’t trouble any more people. Further, in the letter Capt Manu has called himself “self-centered” and said that nobody should be held responsible for his death, police officials revealed. But his father and close friends in the army believe these are not Capt Manu’s words.“Anyone who knew Manu would admit that he was totally opposite of what he described himself to be in the letter. He was affectionate and caring, and would never trouble anyone. Either he was forced to write the letter or someone has copied his handwriting,” claimed Dr Yadav.
A few of Capt Manu’s friends even flew to Goa on Saturday to convince the police that the letter couldn’t have been written by him and and alleged foul play.
This can be verified only after the alleged suicide note, which is attached to the recovery panchnama, is sent for handwriting analysis. Capt Manu’s cremation was scheduled for Sunday in Haryana.

August 11, 2008, The Times of India, Goa edition