Parents of a student police officer who took his own life claim he was “let down” and “discriminated” against by the very force he was working for.
Anugrah Abraham, who was training to be a police officer with West Yorkshire Police, was “stressed”, “under pressure” and “didn’t receive any support”, despite raising issues with his managers, his family allege.
The 21-year-old went missing on Friday 3 March and was found the next day in woodlands near his home in Greater Manchester.
Anugrah’s parents are now calling for an independent investigation by the police watchdog after they claim he faced discrimination, bullying and a lack of support from West Yorkshire Police and Leeds Trinity University, where he was studying.
Speaking to Sky News, Sonia and Amar Abraham said Anugrah told them there were a number of incidents where he felt he was “singled out” and the job was “too much” for him to deal with.
They allege on one occasion he cried in front of his bosses when explaining how he felt and was placed on a management plan in response.
During one incident early on in his training, Anurgrah’s parents claim he was forced to carry out a full body search of a corpse found in a river alone.
Anugrah is said to have vomited in shock at witnessing the body, but his family claim a colleague told him to “just do the search” with no peer support or debrief.
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Mrs Abraham said: “He would tell me how he felt really vulnerable, he would tell me how he’s really scared.
“My boy was feeling so much pressure and they just left him alone to deal with all these issues. I was shocked to hear all of these things.”
“The only thing he was asking was to support him. He was asking for them to understand that he was only a trainee police officer not fully qualified.”
‘He was a strong boy – he just wasn’t supported by the management’
West Yorkshire Police said it had referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct “who deemed it appropriate that a local investigation is undertaken”.
But Anugrah’s family want his death and his time working at the police force investigated independently. They said they have no trust in West Yorkshire Police.
Mr Abraham said: “He was a strong boy, he wasn’t weak. He just wasn’t supported by the management. If he was supported he would have been a very good police officer.
“He was discriminated against, he was singled out, he was not able to express himself because he was an Asian police officer in a predominantly white area.”
He added: “The whole system is not correct, the way of teaching the procedures, the practice are not correct. He was shouted at publicly by the senior officers. That’s not the right way to teach somebody.”
‘That was my last kiss’
On the morning of Friday 3 March, Anugrah had breakfast with his family. His mother says the stress and worry of going back to work the following day was clear – and that evening he went missing.
Sonia said: “I could see his face was dropping, he looked stressed – so I asked him if he was okay. He said, ‘you don’t know mum, you don’t understand, I wish I could stop’.
“I just hugged him and I left it and that was my last kiss – I did not know he’s not going to come back.”
She added: “I’m really angry, I just feel like everything is gone, like my life is empty. He was such a lovely boy.”
West Yorkshire Police investigating reports of discrimination
West Yorkshire Police told Sky News in a statement: “We are saddened to learn of the death of our colleague PC Anugrah Abraham and our thoughts and sympathies go out to his family and friends.
“West Yorkshire Police takes allegations of bullying and discrimination within the workforce very seriously and is committed to investigating such reports.”
In response an IOPC spokesperson said: “We directed the force to carry out an investigation. The complainant will have the right to have the force’s handling of the matter reviewed by the IOPC upon conclusion of the investigation, ensuring an appropriate level of independent oversight should it be required.”
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A Leeds Trinity University spokesperson said: “We are deeply saddened by the tragic death of Anugrah, who was completing his Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship with West Yorkshire Police and the university.
“Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this extremely difficult time. We take our students’ welfare very seriously and offer a dedicated student support service seven days a week.”
