New Delhi: Atul Subhash’s grief-stricken father, Pawan Modi, is fighting a separate battle to secure the custody of his two-year-old grandson, whose whereabouts remain unknown after his father’s death. Modi even threatened mass suicide if the child was not returned to his family’s custody. “My whole family will commit mass suicide if we do not get our grandson back,” he said.
Subhash, who took his own life in Bengaluru, left behind a suicide note accusing his wife and in-laws of harassment. The case began with Subhash’s suicide in Bengaluru. He alleged dowry harassment by his wife, mother-in-law, and brother-in-law. Following the suicide, these three individuals were arrested. However, the location of Subhash’s young son remains undisclosed, fueling the anxieties of his paternal family.
Modi, consumed with worry for his grandson’s safety and well-being, has filed a First Information Report (FIR) at the Vaini police station in Samastipur, Bihar, seeking the immediate recovery and custody of the child. Since the incident is connected to Jaunpur in Uttar Pradesh, the FIR has been transferred to the Jaunpur police for further investigation and appropriate action, Anand Shankar Gaurav, the in-charge of the Vaini police station.
Modi has expressed immense distress at his inability to contact or see his grandson, having only seen him once via a video call. He harbours serious concerns for the child’s safety and fears the worst, urging authorities to intervene swiftly. “I have seen my grandson once via a video call. I am concerned about the child’s safety,” Modi said.
He stated that he fears the worst for the child’s safety given that his son’s wife and her family have been arrested and the child’s location remains unconfirmed. He questioned the unlikelihood of a 2-year-old being placed in a boarding school.
The family’s desperation is palpable. Atul’s younger brother, Vikas Modi, is also actively pursuing legal avenues, appealing to the Prime Minister for stricter laws against dowry harassment to prevent similar tragedies. “I appealed to the Prime Minister to introduce stricter laws against the misuse of legal provisions, such as those related to dowry harassment, to prevent tragedies like Atul Subhash,” Vikas said.
Anand Shankar Gaurav, the in-charge of the Vaini police station, said the case pertains to the Jaunpur district of Uttar Pradesh and, hence the application and FIR have been forwarded to Jaunpur police for further investigation and action. “The Jaunpur police will handle the case as it falls under their jurisdiction,” Gaurav said.
