Madhya Pradesh home minister Narottam Mishra on Thursday ordered registration of an First Information Report against officials of Amazon over the suicide of a youth who allegedly obtained poisonous sulphas tablets through the e-commerce site.
The deceased's father met Mishra in Indore earlier in the day.
Sulphas is used as an agricultural fumigant and is poisonous.
“I have taken cognisance of a youth ending his life by ordering sulphas online from Amazon and directed officials to register a case against the concerned officials and summon them for questioning,” Mishra told reporters in Indore.
“If they don't turn up even after getting a notice, then they should be brought through policiya ('police method') for questioning," the minister added.
Recently, Bhind district police in the state registered a FIR against unnamed Amazon India officials after busting a gang which allegedly supplied ganja under the guise of selling stevia (a natural sweetener) through the e-commerce portal.
“Amazon should clarify how someone can supply ganja and poison through an e-commerce platform. We have taken these incidents seriously and we will take strong legal action in the matter,” Mishra said.
The state government will also frame a policy and send it to the Centre so that illegal activities facilitated by online commercial sites can be curbed, he said.
Ranjeet Verma, a local fruit seller whose 18-year-old son allegedly died by suicide in July by consuming sulphas powder ordered online, met the home minister here earlier in the day and urged him to register a case against Amazon.
Verma alleged that Amazon delivered sulphas to his son without verifying documents.
Some persons were pressurising his son to return Rs 2 lakh that he had borrowed, according to Mishra.
An e-mail sent to Amazon India for comment did not receive any reply.
