GUWAHATI: A senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer in Assam died by suicide inside a private hospital minutes after being told about his ailing wife’s death. Shiladitya Chetia, the 2009 batch IPS officer of the Assam-Meghalaya cadre, was posted as secretary of the Assam home and political departments. Assam director general of police GP Singh announced his colleague’s death on X. “In an unfortunate turn of events, Sri Shiladitya Chetia IPS 2009 RR, Secretary Home & Political Government of Assam, took his own life this evening, a few minutes after the attending physician declared the death of his wife who was battling cancer for a long time. The entire Assam Police family is in deep grief,” Singh said in a post on X. A police officer said the officer used his service weapon in the intensive care unit (ICU) of a private hospital around 4:30 pm. Chetia was earlier posted as police superintendent of Tinsukia and Sonitpur districts. He also served as commandant of the 4th battalion of Assam Police and DIG (administration) of Assam Police before being posted as the home and political secretary, a portfolio headed by chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. The officer added that Chetia’s wife was diagnosed with cancer two years ago.
