A retired teacher from an aided school protesting for pension for over two months now, and had consumed poison along with another teacher at the protest site on Thursday, February 23, succumbed to death on Friday evening.
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The deceased has been identified as Siddaiah Hiremath, 65, hailing from Pattadakallu, Badami Talukin Bagalkot District. He had consumed poison near Freedom Park along with another teacher Venkataraju on Thursday afternoon. This was discovered by others and rushed to Victoria Hospital, where they were under treatment. While Siddaiah Hiremath succumbed on Friday, Venkataraju is still under treatment.
The two teachers were part of a protest of over two months in Freedom Park demanding pension for aided school teachers and the government is yet to resolve the issue. Two days ago, on Wednesday, another retired teacher Shankarappa Bosaraju, from Sindhanur, Raichur, had ended his life on a railway track in Malleswaram. He had left behind a death note which told a tale of debt trap and blamed lack of pensions. However, he also said in his death note how he did not have children.
(Those in distress or having suicidal tendencies can call Arogya Sahaya Vani ph. 104 for help)