Indrajit Jachuck

Cuttack, May 7: Mystery shrouds the death of former director-general of police Indrajit Jachuck, whose body was found hanging from a ceiling fan in the bedroom of his house at Bidanasi last night.

Prime facie evidence, police said, suggested that the retired IPS officer had committed suicide. Officials, however, remained tight-lipped about the reasons that drove 71-year-old Jachuck to take the extreme step.

Sources said Jachuck had been mentally disturbed and also not keeping well for the past few months. The incident took place around 8.30pm, when his wife had gone to meet one of their ailing relatives at a private hospital.

On her return, she found Jachuck’s bedroom door locked from inside. She had repeatedly knocked on the door, but found no response from the room. Sensing danger, Jachuck’s wife then called their neighbours and informed the police. Later, they broke open the door to find the retired officer hanging from the ceiling fan.

Jachuck, a 1968-batch IPS officer, held key positions in Odisha police and retired as intelligence department director in 2003.

“He was a man of principles and had earned goodwill among his colleagues and subordinates and always discharged his duty with utmost pride,” said former director-general of police Manmohan Praharaj.

Jachuck had held several sensitive posts at the Intelligence Bureau headquarters and was posted at the Aviation Research Centre in the state.

He had held charges of the superintendent of police of undivided Ganjam, Balasore and Phulbani districts and was the deputy inspector general of police of central and eastern ranges. Jachuck was appointed chairman of the state committee to look into functional constraints at police stations and became director-general of police in 2003.

A recipient of the Indian police medal, President’s police medal and the governor’s gold medal for his dedicated service, he had been involved in social activities in his post-retirement life.