A day after a constable attached to the Kancheepuram police district committed suicide, a 28-year-old constable committed suicide by hanging from a ceiling in the bathroom of his house in Injambakkam on Monday. The department has denied that he took the extreme decision due to work-related stress.
The police said that after completion of a diploma in IT, V. Balamurugan, a resident of Tatkal Podhigai Nagar, Injambakkam, joined the force four years ago.
Attached to the Tamil Nadu Special Police, he was working in a store at the Police Training College, Ashok Nagar.
His father Vijyayaragavan said, “He willingly joined the force after completing studies. His officials gave him a lot of work. Even during his holidays, he was asked to work. He could not avail himself of leave for long. I was telling him to resign if he was not able to cope with the stress.”
For four days, Balamurugan did not go to office and went to work only on Saturday. “On his return from work, he spoke to an official over phone and said he would not avail himself of leave hereafter. He did not talk to us properly on Sunday night. He died only due to work-related stress,” Mr. Vijyayaragavan alleged.
According to his family members, Balamurugan was seen walking around the streets on Sunday night and was brought to his house. In the morning, Balamurugan went to bathroom and hanged himself from the ceiling using his mother’s saree. As he did not come out, the family broke the door and found him hanging.
The police, however, said it was not a case of suicide due to work-related stress. Balamurugan was given only a mild job and he had personal problems.
The body was sent to Government Royapettah Hospital for post-mortem.
Assistance for overcoming suicidal thoughts is available on the State’s health helpline 104 or Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050.
