Team News Riveting
Mumbai, November 9
Will Maharashtra government face action under the section of abetment to suicide that has come in the public light following the arrest of Republic TV’s editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami?
Two employees of Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC or simply ST) have committed suicide within a span of just 12 hours. One of them, in his suicide letter, has blamed the ST Corporation and Uddhav Thackeray government for non-payment of dues, reduction in salaries and irregularities as the reason for taking such a drastic decision of giving away his life.
Manoj Chaudhary, a Jalgaon ST bus conductor committed suicide by hanging himself this morning. In his suicide note, he has blamed the ST corporation and Thackeray government for the non-payment and reduction in salary since last several months.
Chaudhary’s bereaved brother claimed that the mounting financial pressure on his brother because of the reduction in his salary by the ST department has pushed him over the edge to commit suicide. “ST department and Thackeray government are responsible for the cutback on the salaries of the employees which triggered my brother to give up his life. From the last three months he was getting a reduced salary,” Manoj Chaudhary’s anguished brother told the media.
Earlier yesterday, another ST employee, Pandarang Gadde, from Ratnagiri division had committed suicide. His body was found hanging from the ceiling by his roommate P.A. Tandle, who broke into the room at 4 PM after Gadde did not open the door. It is been alleged that non-payment of salaries from the last 4 months might be the reason behind Gadde committing suicide.
The tragic incidents of two employees ending their lives had a significance given the present situation in the state of Maharashtra. The state government had reopened a “closed case” of abetment to suicide in Raigad and arrested Republic TV Editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami who had been vocal against the Thackeray government.
What made the case against the Maharashtra government more strong was the authority today announcing to give two months’ salary to the employees before Diwali. “They do not need to be depressed and take extreme steps like suicide. The economic situation is bad now, but we will eventually find a way,” the Maharashtra State Transport Minister said.
The announcement and statement underlined that the state government confessed that the two employees committed suicide because of pending salary.
A law point for the legal fraternity to debate; whether one could escape section 306 of IPC after clearing the dues that led to abetment of suicide.
