Bijapur Headmaster Suicide Case: Contractor Arrested Over School Building Payment Dispute
Raipur/Bijapur: In a significant development, police have arrested a suspect in the suicide of a government school headmaster, with the case linked to a school construction payment dispute.
On April 22, Palnar School headmaster Raju Pujari, a resident of Cherpal village, was found hanging from a tree in a field-forest area near his village. Acting on the information, Kotwali police station initiated inquest (marg) proceedings, conducted a spot inspection (panchnama), and arranged for a postmortem.
During the investigation, a handwritten suicide note was recovered, pointing to the deceased’s prolonged mental distress. Preliminary findings indicate the matter is connected to a payment dispute related to a school building project handled by contractor Devashish Mandal, where around 40% of the payment had already been released, while tensions escalated over the remaining dues.
Investigators also found that Pujari allegedly faced pressure to commit irregularities, leaving him feeling trapped and under sustained mental pressure.
Based on the panchnama, postmortem report, and witness statements, police established a prima facie case of abetment to suicide under relevant IPC sections. Following the FIR registration, absconding contractor Devashish Mandal (36), a resident of Darapara, Bijapur, was arrested.
Police said further investigation is ongoing, with efforts underway to identify other possible accused and gather additional evidence for legal action.
