Woman library supervisor allegedly dies by suicide over unpaid salary, BJP targets Cong govt
Kalaburagi/Bengaluru (PTI): A 40-year-old woman library supervisor allegedly ended her life in Kalaburagi district, frustrated with not having received her salary for three months, which the opposition BJP on Tuesday termed as a "government-sponsored murder".
Stating that the Congress government has become "bankrupt", Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly, R Ashoka, has demanded that the investigation into this suicide case be handed over to the CBI.
The deceased has been identified as Bhagyavathi Aggimath of Malkhed village, who worked at a local government-run library. She allegedly hanged herself from the ceiling fan on Monday, police sources said.
According to them, in her purported death note, she allegedly stated that she was taking the extreme step due to financial distress, caused by three months of unpaid salary.
Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Ashoka said the Congress government in the state has gone bankrupt and is unable to pay salaries to library supervisors. "This is nothing, but a government-sponsored murder."
"Librarians' suicides due to non-payment of salaries, contractors' suicides due to non-payment of bills, police officers' suicides because of transfer commission racket, poor people's suicides due to harassment from microfinance, more than 300 farmers' suicides due to non-receipt of compensation for damages due to drought and excessive rain. This is a government of ruiners. It is bankrupted and it has given suicide bhagya (like various bhagya schemes of the govt) to the common people, as the sixth guarantee," the BJP leader said.
"This is a government of murderers. Shame on this government," he further said."
(Assistance for overcoming suicidal thoughts is available on the state’s health helpline 104, Tele-MANAS 14416.)
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Elderly Dalit woman cremated on road after family denied access to village cremation ground in Bihar
Vaishali: An elderly Dalit woman was cremated on a public road in Bihar’s Vaishali district after her family was allegedly prevented from using the village cremation ground, triggering outrage and tension in the area, The Observer Post reported.
The incident occurred on Thursday at Sontho Andhari village under the Goraul police station limits. The deceased, identified as Jhapki Devi (95), belonged to a Mahadalit family. According to locals and police, when her family tried to take her body to the cremation ground, some people blocked the route, leaving the family with no option but to perform the last rites on the road.
Family members and residents said the obstruction has been a long-standing issue. “Every time we take a body for cremation, the way is blocked. This has happened earlier too, but no permanent solution was given,” said a local resident from Manjhi Tola, expressing anger over repeated denial of access.
As tensions rose, the funeral procession stopped at Andhari Gachi Chowk, where the body was placed on a pyre in front of a Shiva temple and cremated on the road. Villagers alleged that the pathway connecting the main road to the cremation ground had been encroached upon by local landowners.
Police and administrative officials later reached the spot. A fire brigade vehicle was deployed to extinguish the pyre, and the road was cleaned after the cremation. Public representatives who arrived at the scene were reportedly chased away by protesting villagers, who accused the administration of ignoring their complaints for years.
Vaishali Superintendent of Police Vikram Sihag said the issue arose due to the absence of a clear path. “Earlier, there was a route to the cremation ground, but some people built a temple on that path. Due to the lack of access, the family carried out the cremation on the road,” he said. He added that discussions were held with local officials and that arrangements would be made to restore access to the cremation ground. “The situation is currently under control,” the SP said.
Block Development Officer Pankaj Kumar Nigam and Circle Officer Divya Chanchal said the area had been cleared and an inquiry was under way. “All aspects will be examined, and steps will be taken to ensure that such incidents do not happen again,” they said.
