Senior IPS officer Shiladitya Sethia shot himself with his service weapon on Tuesday afternoon, minutes after his wife was declared dead at a Guwahati hospital after battling cancer.
Shiladitya Sethiya is a 2009 batch IPS officer. Shiladitya Sethia (44), a DIG-rank IPS officer, was serving as home and political secretary in the Assam government. Sources said he was on leave for the past four months to look after his ailing wife, Agamoni Barbarua.
His wife was undergoing treatment at Nemcare Hospital, a private hospital in Guwahati city.
“This afternoon, Shiladitya Sethia’s wife succumbed to cancer and soon after the doctor who examined him declared him dead, Shiladitya Sethia shot himself in the intensive care unit,” a police officer said.
The couple stayed in the hospital for over two months, said the hospital’s MD, Dr Hitesh Barua.
“He was struggling for about two years and was being treated elsewhere. For the past two months, he was receiving treatment here and he was taking a separate room in the hospital,” said Dr Hitesh Barua.
“In the last three days, we informed him that his condition was deteriorating. He informed the doctor that he died at 4.30 pm today. A doctor and a nurse were in the room with him. And he asked them to leave saying he wanted to pray. After about 10 minutes, a loud noise was heard from the room,” he said.
Assam DGP GB Singh has condoled the tragic incident.
“Shiladitya Sethiya IPS 2009 batch IPS officer, Secretary to Home and Political Government of Assam. His wife took her own life this evening, minutes after her doctor declared her dead after a long battle with cancer. The entire Assam Police family is deeply saddened,” he said.
Sethia achieved a steady rise in her career as an Assam State IPS officer. He previously served as SP in Kolagat, Tinsukia and Sonitpur districts. Prior to his current post, he served as the Commandant of the 4th Assam Police Battalion.
