Patna, Dec 29 (IANS): A young man committed suicide after he was allegedly humiliated at a panchayat meeting in Bihar's Kaimur district, police said on Tuesday.

Police said that Shiv Shankar Gupta, in his mid-20s, was known to a girl in Hata Bazaar in Chainpur police station jurisdiction.

Shiv's family claimed that the girl demanded some money from him but took away his mobile phone and went to her house after he expressed his inability to give her the amount. She later accused Shiv of molestation as he followed her to her house to get his phone back.

"After the girl's accusation, her brothers and relatives thrashed him. Soon, the relatives of Shiv reached the spot, which led to a scuffle between the two sides," Kaimur Superintendent of Police Dilnawaj Ahmed said.

Following the scuffle, the girl's family members took their case to the panchayat which held a meeting on Sunday.

"We have leant that the panchayat members held Shiv guilty of the offence. They humiliated him by directing him to lick his spittle," Ahmed said.

A humiliated Shiv went back to his house and locked himself in a room. He was found hanging from a ceiling fan on Monday morning," the SP said.

The police officer said that a case of abetment to suicide was registered after the young man's family submitted a complaint against the girl, her family members and those who humiliated him.

"The name of a local journalist has also came up during investigation. We have set up a team to probe the case. The culprits will be put behind bars soon," Ahmed said.