On September 9, 2024, Sadar Police Station in Gangtok registered FIR Case following the suicide of ITBP personnel Raja Ram, 36, from the 13 Battalion stationed at the VIP gate of Raj Bhawan, Gangtok. The incident occurred on September 5, 2024, when Raja Ram shot himself with his service weapon, INSAS, during his duty hours between 9:00 PM and midnight.
Investigations revealed that Raja Ram was a victim of sextortion. He had received multiple WhatsApp messages and calls from unknown individuals who blackmailed him, threatening to upload compromising photos of him with an unknown girl on Google or YouTube if he did not transfer money. Raja Ram had already transferred a total of ₹1,64,000 in separate transactions of ₹98,500 and ₹65,499 via Google Pay and PhonePe to the blackmailers, identified as Gurpreet Singh and others, using the numbers 7577002503, 7416641552, and 9259461024.
Raja Ram’s phone records confirmed the extortion, leading to his distress and subsequent suicide. The police have detained three individuals under sections 170 and 35 of the BNSS 2023 in connection with the case. The investigation is ongoing as authorities work to identify and apprehend all those involved in the blackmail scheme​.
