Former Jammu Kashmir policeman climbs tree in Dalhousie, threatens suicide over financial distress

May 27, 2025 by News Desk

A tense and emotional scene unfolded Monday evening in the Banikhet area of Dalhousie, Himachal Pradesh, when Shyam Lal, a 48-year-old former Special Police Officer (SPO) of Jammu Kashmir Police, climbed a 15-metre-high pine tree and threatened to end his life over severe financial distress.

According to eyewitnesses, Lal wept as he revealed that his monthly income had dropped drastically—from ₹18,000 before the pandemic to just ₹4,000. He warned onlookers that any rescue attempt would drive him to take the final step. Local villagers immediately alerted the authorities.

Police and fire brigade teams arrived on the scene, deploying ladders and safety nets, but Lal refused assistance and continued his protest for nearly five hours.

With efforts failing to convince him, officials reached out to Rameshwar Singh, the MLA from Bani in J\&K’s Kathua district. Singh travelled over 68 kilometers to Banikhet, arriving at around 9:20 PM.

Speaking to reporters later, he said Lal told him he had served during difficult years of militancy, was burdened with debt, and had a child studying in Chandigarh.

“He asked me, ‘How can I survive on ₹4,000?’” Singh said. “I empathized with him, but told him this was not the solution.”

The MLA clarified that salary and appointment matters fall under the jurisdiction of the central government, as Jammu Kashmir is now a Union Territory.

Later, DIG Kathua Shiv Kumar stated that Lal had been disengaged from SPO service “several years ago” and was no longer on the rolls of the police department. Despite this, several local officials expressed concern and assured they would take up his case with senior authorities, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

After prolonged negotiations, Lal was brought down safely and taken for a medical check-up. He was found to be sober and was not charged with any offence. He left the site with the MLA, returning to Jammu and Kashmir.

The incident has spotlighted the financial instability faced by many former SPOs in Jammu and Kashmir, especially post-pandemic. Many of them served during peak militancy but now struggle with little institutional support, raising broader concerns over the welfare of those once on the frontlines.