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Former CBI Director Ashwani Kumar dies by suicide

Ashwani Kumar
Ashwani Kumar

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Published : Oct 7, 2020, 8:50 PM IST

Updated : Oct 8, 2020, 12:23 PM IST

20:47 October 07

Former CBI Director Ashwani Kumar dies by suicide

Himachal Pradesh DGP Sanjay Kundu

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh): Former CBI director Ashwani Kumar, who led the Aarushi murder investigation, was found dead at his residence in Shimla on Wednesday. The police recovered a suicide note from the spot.

In his suicide note, Kumar, who had served as the DGP of Himachal Pradesh, Director of CBI, and the Governor of Nagaland, said that he was fed up with his life and has decided to go on a journey ahead.

On receiving information about the incident, Shimla SP Mohit Chawla reached the spot, and the police is currently investigating the matter.

However, the cause behind Ashwani Kumar's dissatisfaction with his life and the reasons that led him to take the extreme step, are still not known.

ETV Bharat has learnt that Kumar was suffering from Parkinson's disease. 

The police have said that Kumar wrote in his suicide note that he ended his life due to 'disease and disability'.

"We found a suicide note in which he wrote that he is ending his life due to disease and disability, of his own free will. He said his soul is embarking on a new journey and everyone needed to be happy, and that there should be no rituals or ceremonies," Himachal Pradesh DGP Sanjay Kundu told reporters.

The Forensic Science Lab team has collected the evidence and examined the scene. The police is recording the statements of witnesses including the family members, the DGP said.

He added that the family has negated the possibility of foul play.

"The family is not suspecting any foul play in the matter. They said the whole family had lunch together. The post-mortem will be conducted and post that the body will be handed over to the family," he added.

Further, ETV Bharat has also learnt that Kumar had expressed his desire to donate his organs.  

Originally hailing from Sirmaur district, Ashwani Kumar touched many milestones of success in his professional life.

Kumar, a 1973-batch IPS officer, also served in the Special Protection Group elite force, and was also posted under the personal protection of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

He served as the DGP of Himachal Pradesh from 2006 to 2008. He was later appointed as the Director of CBI and held the post from August 2008 to November 2010 - the first IPS officer from Himachal Pradesh to hold the post.

In 2013, the then UPA government appointed him as Governor of Nagaland, a post from which he tendered his resignation after the BJP-led NDA government came to power in 2014. He was the first CBI Director to have been appointed to the post of Governor.

After returning to Shimla, he held the post of VC in a private university. 

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Last Updated : Oct 8, 2020, 12:23 PM IST

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