Ashutosh Shukla

Bhopal, July 28

CID officers enquiring into the death of tribal artist Jangan Singh Shyam in Japan have concluded that he had committed suicide.

The report submitted to the Director General of Police on Thursday ruled out murder at the museum, as alleged by his relatives.

Though officers involved in investigations refused to divulge details, they were learnt to have concluded that Jangan being a tribal was used to community living and felt lonely at the Mithila museum in Japan. So, when his Japan stay was extended by another two weeks, he got depressed.

Also, he was perhaps confused over the extension of his visa by three months though he was asked to extend his stay by two weeks.

The report, however, said the immediate provocation for Jangan to take his life could not be ascertained from here and if any foul play was suspected Japan police will have to be requested to investigate the case.

The report stated that there were reasons to believe that Jangan had gone to the Mithila museum in Japan on his own and not under any pressure. He had not only applied for leave at the Bharat Bhawan but also insisted on the authorities that his leave be sanctioned. In this context, it refers to his previous visit to Japan in 1999, when he had stayed there for three months and 13 days. It states that he had got a handsome amount then and that may have prompted him to make a second visit.

It, however, added that he was certainly not comfortable at the museum and wished to return at the earliest. The report also said there was no reason to believe that artists had ever been `tortured' in any way.

The team, which was asked to submit its report within 15 days, did not look into the international art racket and reported role in sending Jangan to Japan and the 'torture' he underwent due to his inability to return.

The report states Jangan never took the museum management into confidence about his loneliness. Instead, he confided in friends back home, asking them to fax him messages about his wife's illness, so that he was freed by the museum and allowed to return.

The team, however, has recommended a high-level inquiry into the incident so that aspects it could not cover, were looked into.