Two MP police constables die by suicide in Khandwa and Chhatarpur
Synopsis
Two serving Madhya Pradesh police constables were found dead by suicide hours apart — one in Khandwa, one in Chhatarpur — on 8 May. With MP recording over 15,000 suicides in a single year and no formal mental health framework for constabulary personnel, the deaths expose a systemic gap that authorities have yet to address.
Key Takeaways
Constable Ansingh Nargawe was found hanging near Balaji Dham colony , Khandwa; he was on a five-day leave from Gudh police station , Rewa.
Constable Tarun Gandharv was found in a deserted outpost near Nowgaon bus stand , Chhatarpur, at around 6 am on 8 May 2025 .
No suicide note was recovered in either case; both deaths remain under investigation.
Madhya Pradesh recorded 15,491 suicides in a single year, accounting for 9.1% of national cases, according to NCRB data.
Investigators suspect mental stress may have been a factor in Gandharv's death; Nargawe's reasons are yet to be established.
Two Madhya Pradesh police constables were found dead in separate suicide incidents in Khandwa and Chhatarpur districts on 8 May 2025, officials confirmed. The deaths have drawn renewed attention to mental health pressures faced by law enforcement personnel in the state.
First Incident: Khandwa
The body of constable Ansingh Nargawe was discovered hanging near the Balaji Dham colony under the jurisdiction of Padmnagar police station in Khandwa. A bag recovered near the spot helped authorities identify him as a resident of Murari village in Barwani district.
Nargawe was officially posted at the Gudh police station in Rewa and was reportedly on a five-day leave at the time of the incident. The body has been sent for a postmortem examination, and the reasons behind his death remain under investigation.
Second Incident: Chhatarpur
In a separate incident, constable Tarun Gandharv was found hanging in a closed, deserted police outpost near the Nowgaon bus stand in Chhatarpur district at around 6 am. He was a native of Sagar district and was serving at the Nowgaon police station at the time of his death.
Preliminary findings suggest Gandharv died late Thursday night. He was dressed in civilian clothes and was not on duty. Senior officials and a Forensic Science Laboratory team reached the scene to conduct a thorough inspection. No suicide note was recovered; however, investigators suspect he may have been battling significant mental stress. He is survived by his elderly parents, a wife, and a two-year-old daughter.
The Broader Context: Mental Health in MP Police
These twin tragedies come at a time when mental well-being — particularly among uniformed personnel — is under intense scrutiny. According to the latest data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), Madhya Pradesh recorded 15,491 suicides in a single year, accounting for approximately 9.1% of all suicides reported nationally.
Notably, this is not an isolated pattern. Police forces across India have increasingly flagged concerns about workload, irregular duty hours, and inadequate mental health support as contributing factors to distress among constabulary-level personnel — those least likely to have access to institutional counselling.
Investigation Status
Both cases are currently under investigation. Authorities are yet to determine the precise circumstances and motivations behind each death. No foul play has been reported in either case. Further details are expected following the completion of postmortem examinations and forensic analysis.
The incidents are likely to intensify calls for structured mental health interventions within the Madhya Pradesh Police force.
Point of View
Absorbing the most irregular hours and the least institutional support. India has no mandatory mental health screening protocol for police personnel, and Madhya Pradesh — with 15,491 suicides in a year — is already one of the country's most distressed states by that measure. The silence around police mental health is partly structural: seeking help risks being seen as unfit for duty. Until that stigma is dismantled through policy, incidents like these will recur and be noted only as brief news items.
NationPress
9 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who were the two police constables who died by suicide in Madhya Pradesh?
The two constables were Ansingh Nargawe, posted at Gudh police station in Rewa, and Tarun Gandharv, serving at Nowgaon police station in Chhatarpur district. Both were found hanging in separate incidents on 8 May 2025.
Where did the two suicide incidents occur in Madhya Pradesh?
The first incident occurred near Balaji Dham colony in Khandwa district, under Padmnagar police station jurisdiction. The second occurred in a deserted police outpost near the Nowgaon bus stand in Chhatarpur district.
Was a suicide note found in either case?
No suicide note was recovered in either case. Investigators suspect that constable Tarun Gandharv may have been under significant mental stress, while the reasons behind Ansingh Nargawe's death remain under investigation pending postmortem results.
What does NCRB data say about suicides in Madhya Pradesh?
According to the latest National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, Madhya Pradesh recorded 15,491 suicides in a single year, representing approximately 9.1% of all suicides reported across India.
What happens next in both cases?
Both cases are under active investigation by local police. Postmortem examinations have been ordered, and a Forensic Science Laboratory team inspected the Chhatarpur scene. Authorities are yet to establish the precise circumstances and motivations behind each death.
