Coach booked in basketball player's 'suicide'; Pinarayi writes to CM Nitish Kumar
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New Delhi: A case of abetment of suicide was filed against a coach after national basketball player Lithara, 23, allegedly committed suicide on the intervening night of April 25-26 in Patna, Bihar.
The move came a day after Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had written to Bihar CM Nitish Kumar for a "comprehensive and fair" investigation, according to the Indian Express.
Lithara, hailing from Kunumal village in Vadakara, Kozhikode, was working at the Divisional Railway Manager's office in Danapur, Bihar, where she was employed under the sports quota.
The coach who is facing charges is also a Railways' employee.
A police officer in Patna said the coach would face Section 306 IPC and allegations of mental and sexual harassment against him would also be probed.
CM Vijayn on Thursday wrote to Nitish Kumar that Lithara's relative had sought for a thorough probe into the basketball player's untimely death.
Kerala chief minister told Nitish Kumar that the basket player's relative found no circumstance existed for Lithara to take her life.
Lithara's maternal uncle Rajeevan filed a complaint on April 27 in Patna's Rajiv Nagar police station alleging the coach had sexually and mentally harassed Lithara.
Rajeevan said in the complaint that Lithara had informed him of the coach's mental and sexual harassment, as well as putting pressure on her.
According to Rajeevan, Lithara committed suicide because of mental trauma from harassment. He believed Lithara couldn't complain against the coach as he was influential at high places.
Rajeevan reportedly said Lithara had been in good spirits when she came home for Kerala's New Year, Vishu in mid-April.
The complainant said the tragedy came a shock to Lithara's both parents who were unwell; her father, who husked coconut, was ailing with a displaced hip and her mother was battling cancer.
Lithara was in the Kerala team that won the 32nd Federation Cup championship after defeating Tamil Nadu 66-50 in 2018.