A former employee of Bosch, who was one among the 260 employees striking for over a year against sudden termination, allegedly attempted to kill himself at his residence at Dasarahalli on Saturday. The attempt closely follows the suicide of one of the protesting workers earlier in July.
Praveen Melegowda (31), who migrated from Hassan district more than a decade ago, reportedly consumed a large number of sleeping pills on reaching his home around 1 a.m. According to the protesting workers, he had sent a message to them saying he “could no more harbour any hopes (of the dispute getting resolved) and had decided to take his life.” A suicide note mentions the names of the top management of Bosch India as being responsible for his death.
At 5 a.m., after workers attempted to frantically reach out to his mother and two younger brothers who stay with him, he was found in an unconscious state. He was rushed to a nearby hospital and currently is in the Intensive Care Unit. Peenya Police have registered a case and are investigating the matter.
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A worker said Mr. Praveen had been disheartened after a meeting between 263 workers and management scheduled on Saturday was called off late on Friday. The workers have been on strike since August 14, and several mediation meetings had failed. The Labour Department had even sent a ‘failure report’ to the State government last month.
However, according to workers, the management had promised a meeting on Saturday to “resolve the dispute.” The meeting was deferred as Bosch officials were not in the city, and this, said workers, had dashed the hopes of many.