Ranchi restaurateur dies by suicide; probe underway

A 38-year-old restaurateur was found dead at one of his establishments in the Lalpur area on Thursday in an apparent suicide, officials said. The victim, identified as Abhimanyu Bhatia, also known as Luv, allegedly consumed a poisonous substance, and his body has since been sent for a post-mortem examination.

The Ranchi Police have initiated an investigation into the matter, and officials have not yet determined a motive for the act. Further details are awaited.

Meanwhile, as law enforcement grapples with the death of the restaurateur, political pressure is mounting in the state capital regarding a separate and highly disturbing controversy involving Birsa Munda Central Jail. Leader of the Opposition in the Jharkhand Assembly, Babulal Marandi, levelled serious accusations on Monday against the Superintendent of the jail, alleging a conspiracy to assault female inmates and destroy evidence following reports of the sexual exploitation of a prisoner who was found to be pregnant.

In a post on X, Marandi termed the situation "shameful" and alleged that the victim was repeatedly exploited while in judicial custody. Citing "reliable information," the BJP leader claimed that officials are attempting to destroy biological and forensic evidence by moving the victim to secret locations under the guise of medical treatment. He further accused the Inspector General (IG) of Prisons of actively shielding the accused and suppressing the investigation.

"What happened behind the bars of the jail has shamed the entire state of Jharkhand," Marandi wrote, urging Chief Minister Hemant Soren to intervene immediately by dismissing the Jail IG. He has also called for the National Commission for Women, the National Human Rights Commission, and the judiciary to take urgent cognisance of the matter.

BJP spokesperson Pratul Shahdeo echoed these concerns, alleging that a "black business" has been exposed within the high-security facility. He claimed that a cover-up operation had already taken place, involving the potential termination of the victim's pregnancy at a private clinic to influence subsequent medical reports. "It's shocking and unbelievable," Shahdeo stated. "If the jail administration investigates this, we won't believe it at all. We demand a judicial inquiry by a sitting High Court judge." (ANI)

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)