Tribal man accused of selling hooch 'commits suicide'

A 25-year-old tribal man, arrested for 'selling illicit liquor', allegedly hanged himself while in the custody of Excise Department in Chhattisgarh's Kabirdham district on Wednesday.

Harichand Marabi was apprehended with 33 bottles of liquor by excise department officials on Tuesday from village Benda, said Superintendent of Police Lal Umed Singh.

On Wednesday, he was allegedly found to have hanged himself from ceiling in the toilet of excise office in Kawardha town, the SP told PTI.

A police team reached the spot after being alerted about the alleged suicide and sent the body for autopsy, he added.

Further probe was underway, he said.

Following Marabi's death, excise sub-inspector Leena Singh and constable Lavkesh Netam were suspended and home guard Manoj Ogre was dismissed from service, said district Collector Awanish Sharan.

Ogre and Netam were on security duty at the excise office at the time of the incident, he said.

Chief Judicial Magistrate is also conducting an inquiry into the incident while the suspended personnel will also face a departmental enquiry, the collector added.