Guwahati, May 24: The vice-chancellor of Assam Don Bosco University (ADBU) at Tepesia in Sonapur has been arrested on the basis of a note written by an entrepreneur who allegedly died by suicide on Monday.
Police sources said that ADBU vice-chancellor Father Stephen Mavely, who was earlier brought to the Sonapur Police Station for interrogation, was arrested.
The arrest was made after George Bordoloi, a pioneer in the city’s dhaba business, had prior to taking the ‘extreme step’ left a handwritten confession on stamp paper, holding Fr Mavely responsible for his ‘suicide’.
On Monday, Bordoloi, 70, was reportedly found hanging from a tree in the backyard of his eco resort at Hatimura, Sonapur, on the outskirts of the city
According to the hand-written note, the ADBU vice-chancellor had alleged that Bordoloi had trespassed into the premises of the university.
“The court summon issued to me and my son Pattrick Bordoloi as per complaint lodged by Father Stephen Mavely, vice-chancellor of Don Bosco University, Tepesia is false and fabricated,” read the confession note on stamp paper, duly signed by Bordoloi.
It was further stated in the suicide note that the allegation of trespassing into the campus and destroying their rubber and coconut trees is highly objectionable.
“We have never intruded on their campus as we are always busy in our eco camp at Hatimura village which is located far away from their campus,” Bordoloi wrote in the confession note.
“Father Stephen Mavely therefore should be held responsible for abetting my suicide. He is also responsible for blocking most of the elephant corridors by constructing buildings in their habitat which compel the elephants to visit our village and destroy our crops. The herds have also destroyed their plantation for which we are no way responsible,” he wrote.
“On the basis of this written confession, Fr Stephen Mavely should be booked under the relevant Act of IPC,” wrote Bordoloi.
According to a report, Bordoloi’s resort, Georgie’s Retreat Eco Camp, and Don Bosco University, had been embroiled in property-related dispute for quite some time now.
An official of ABDU however said that such an allegation (of abetment to suicide) against the vice-chancellor was unacceptable and that a thorough investigation of the suicide note should be done.