A 26-year-old engineer allegedly died by suicide after consuming poison at his uncle’s residence in Gwalior, with his family claiming he was under severe mental distress due to alleged blackmail linked to a rape case registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Incident at uncle’s residence

The deceased, identified as Love, also known as Lovejeet Singh Rana, was a resident of Ramgarh in Dabra and a BTech graduate. Police said he consumed poison on Friday night at a house in Purushottam Vihar Colony, where he had been staying with his uncle.

Family members found him in a critical condition on Saturday morning and rushed him to hospital, where doctors declared him dead.

Case background

An FIR under the POCSO Act was registered in April at Dabra City police station after a woman alleged that Lovejeet and another man took her two-year-and-11-month-old daughter for a car ride and returned her distressed, following which an injury was noticed.

The case had sparked public outrage at the time. Lovejeet reportedly lost his job soon after the case was registered and moved to Gwalior.

Family alleges blackmail

The family has alleged that Lovejeet was being pressured to pay money to “settle” the case. According to them, the complainant’s side demanded ₹60 lakh, of which ₹30 lakh had already been paid. They further claimed that pressure continued for the remaining amount and alleged that the complainant’s lawyer also issued threats.

The family said the sustained pressure pushed Lovejeet into depression, ultimately leading him to take the extreme step.

Police probe under way

Officials at Gwalior said the body has been sent for post-mortem examination. Gola Ka Mandir police confirmed that an investigation is ongoing and that allegations of extortion will also be examined.

“Action will be taken based on the facts that emerge during the inquiry,” a police officer said.

Education and career

Lovejeet was reportedly a bright student who had topped his board examinations in Dabra. He completed his engineering degree from an institute in Indore and was working with a multinational company in Gurugram before returning home on leave in April.

Authorities said all aspects of the case, including the suicide and the allegations surrounding it, will be investigated thoroughly.