GUNTUR: District Collector K Sasidhar on Friday suspended four Medical and Health Department employees and ordered a magisterial inquiry into the suicide of N Ravi Kumar, a junior assistant at the Primary Health Centre in Ponnuru of Guntur district.
Ravi Kumar consumed pesticide on November 17 alleging harassment at the hands of certain officials as he was unable to pay a bribe. In a video recorded before he took the extreme step, the junior assistant says he was asked `1 lakh to be elevated to the post, but could cough up only `70,000 and so was transferred to Ponnuru. Bullying took an ugly turn after he filed an RTI query seeking information on promotions and transfers in the department.
He died while undergoing treatment at NRI Hospital in Mangalagiri on Wednesday. In the clip uploaded on Facebook, Kumar had demanded stern action against his harassers who allegedly provoked him to take the extreme step.
District Medical and Health Officer (DM&HO) Dr J Yasmin said the suspension orders were sent to the residence of the four accused -- incharge AO Ratnaraju, heath educator Bhanu Murthy, supervisor Mallikharjuna Rao and senior assistant Prasad -- all of whom are absconding. Police have registered a case and investigation is on. Meanwhile, kin of Ravi Kumar on Friday staged a demonstration demanding their dismissal.