ACP PK Satpathy’s son (middle) at Unit-VI Hospital in Bhubaneswar. Picture by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar: April 1: An assistant commissioner of police (ACP), intelligence, allegedly committed suicide on Utkal Divas. The incident coincided with the inauguration of the new police commissionerate building here by chief minister Naveen Patnaik.

Fifty-five-year-old Pramod Kumar Satpathy’s body was found hanging from the ceiling fan in his house in the Kalpana area. The Badagada police have registered a case of unnatural death.

Sources said Satpathy had family problems was tense for the past few days. He is survived by his wife, Padmini, two sons, Guruprasad and Chinmay, and daughter, Rukmini.

Guruprasad, the younger son, said his mother had gone out for morning walk and he and his sister were sleeping in their respective rooms when the incident occurred.

“When our mother returned, she found his body hanging from the ceiling fan,” said Guruprasad.

Police said the room where Satpathy’s body was found was locked from inside.

“After getting a call from the family we rushed to the spot and had to break open the room. It occurs that he committed suicide by hanging himself from the ceiling fan with a cloth. We cut the cloth and took him to the hospital where he was declared brought dead,” said a police officer.

Even Satpathy’s family members said he was depressed for last few days.

Guruprasad added: “He appeared to be unhappy as we were not studying well. We were also not getting any job.”

Guruprasad is studying Plus II in a college on the outskirts of the city while Chinmay runs a gymnasium in Sundergarh. Police sources said Satpathy was on a 10-day leave and had joined duty yesterday. His son said his father had gone to his native village and had stayed there for nearly eight days.

Sources said there were quarrels in the family after he returned from the village.

Raghav Chandra Sethi, one of Satpathy’s neighbours, said yesterday when he saw the Satpathy couple during the morning walk, the officer appeared to be tense.

“Satpathy appeared to be under immense pressure,” said Sethi. A 1978 batch officer, Satpathy had been staying with his wife, daughter and younger son at his Kalpana flat for the past three years. Chinmaya lived in Sundergarh. Satpathy, who began his career as a sub-inspector, was posted as ACP in Bhubaneswar three years ago.

Despite the tragedy, the new police commissionerate building was today inaugurated by the chief minister.

“The building is equipped with all modern facilities,” said Sudhanshu Sarangi, chairman-cum-managing director, Orissa State Police Housing and Welfare Corporation.

The corporation constructed the building in record 18 months.. The police control room would be located in the building.