SANGRUR: Peeved at police inaction over his complaint about alleged illicit relations of his wife, a retired soldier of a village in Sangrur approached the district judge with an unusual request, seeking court's permission to commit suicide. Satpal Singh, resident of Mangwal village, told the court that police did not take action against his wife and her alleged paramour despite his complaint.

Acting on the applicant's plea titled "request for permission to commit suicide," court officials appointed a lawyer through the free legal aid cell to help Satpal, who retired from the Army in January.

Satpal appeared in the court of Sangrur district and sessions judge on Tuesday alleging that his wife had relations with a neighbour and police didn't intervene in the matter despite several requests by him. He mentioned in his application that his marriage was solemnized in June 2000 and his wife remained at his village home in these years.

Stating that, being "harassed" by some policemen, his father-in-law and wife and her paramour, he didn't deem himself "fit to live in this world" and "wanted to commit suicide."

Later, talking to TOI over phone, Satpal said he wanted police to intervene in the matter and take action against his wife's paramour, who had ruined their married life. Lawyer Sukhvir Singh Punia, who has been deputed by the court to provide free legal aid to the applicant, confirmed that the court had taken notice of Satpal's application. "Yes, I have been appointed by the court to provide free legal aid to the applicant. I can speak about the matter only after studying the case," he said.

