Family of trainee West Yorkshire PC who took his own life call for IOPC investigation

• Video report by Michael Billington

The family of a student police officer who claim he took his own life after experiencing "bullying and institutional racism" says the force should not be allowed to conduct its own investigation.

PC Anugrah Abraham was studying for a Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship at Leeds Trinity University while working for West Yorkshire Police when he was found dead earlier this month.

The 21-year-old, known as Anu, disappeared after having breakfast with his parents on 3 March. He was found dead by a dog walker near where he lived in Bury, Greater Manchester, the following day

Watchdog the Independent Office for Police Conduct has not launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding 's death, instead allowing West Yorkshire Police to investigate itself.

But his family said the force had "failed" him, claiming he suffered because of his ethnicity.

"He was the only Asian police officer in Halifax, and he was saying 'I don't feel like they are involving me in things'," his mother Sonia said.

"The sergeant and other senior colleagues were shouting at him in front of his colleagues.

"He was only 21, he was not a trained police officer," she said.

She said he was regularly sent alone to deal with "violent" incidents in white communities where he faced racist abuse.

"Whatever he was doing he got criticism all the time," she added.

"The system didn't do anything for him. He broke down in tears, he said 'I can't do it any more, it was too much for me'.

"I've sent my happy boy to the force, and look what they did. They didn't look after him at all, they didn't look after him."

In one incident, they claim Anu was asked to carry out a search on a corpse by himself, something he had never done before.

"He was not prepared, but they said carry on, so he said he vomited and then they told him to do the full body search," said Mrs Abraham.

"He did, but he didn't feel comfortable, so many days he was feeling it, he was feeling it, he was feeling it.

"Why they didn't do anything for my son... he could be here with us sitting right next to me."

Mrs Abraham said Anu eventually raised his concerns with his sergeant and "broke down in tears", telling them "I'm scared".

"He was crying for help and nobody helped him," she said.

Anu's aunt, Rota Saggar, said West Yorkshire Police "have blood on their hands".

"We have seen it over and over again that these institutions protect themselves first, and we have no confidence that they are going to be able to put their hand up and say yes sorry we are guilty," she said.

"That's not going to happen. Somebody else needs to do that investigation for sure.

"I don't know what more it will need for the public watchdog to do what it's supposed to - how many more lives do we have to lose?"

West Yorkshire Police said it was "saddened" by Anu's death.

"West Yorkshire Police takes allegations of bullying and discrimination within the workforce very seriously and is committed to investigating such reports," it said in a statement.

"The force has referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct who deemed it appropriate that a local investigation is undertaken. This is currently being conducted by the Professional Standards Directorate."

The IOPC said Anu's family would have the right to a review once the investigation was concluded.

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