LUCKNOW: A 42-year-old area manager with Bajaj Finance, Tarun Saxena, died by suicide in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, following severe workplace pressure. Saxena left behind a five-page note addressed to his wife, Megha, in which he expressed his distress over the relentless demands from his seniors, who he claimed had been pressuring him to meet unrealistic targets.
The note also mentioned threats of salary deductions and job loss. Tarun was responsible for collecting EMIs on Bajaj Finance loans in his area but struggled due to various issues, leading to mounting stress.
According to the report by NDTV, Saxena revealed that he and his colleagues were forced to compensate for the uncollected EMIs, despite raising concerns with senior management. His letter describes a mental and physical toll, stating he hadn’t slept properly for 45 days, had lost his appetite, and was overwhelmed by anxiety. He also detailed the pressures applied during a 6 AM video conference on the day of his death, where his superiors reportedly threatened him with termination.
Tarun’s body was discovered by the household help after he locked his wife and two children in a separate room. In his letter, he asked his family to ensure they received his insurance money and instructed them to lodge a police complaint against his senior managers, whom he blamed for driving him to the decision.
This tragic incident comes in the wake of the recent death of 26-year-old chartered accountant Anna Sebastian Perayil, which sparked nationwide conversations around toxic workplace environments. Anna's mother, Anita Augustine, wrote an open letter to Ernst & Young India chairman, Rajiv Memani, criticizing the firm’s culture, which she claimed glorified overwork and neglected employee well-being. Her daughter had passed away just four months after joining the company, reportedly working late into the night with no time to rest.
(If you are having suicidal thoughts, or are worried about a friend or need emotional support, someone is always there to listen. Call Sneha Foundation - 04424640050, Tele Manas - 14416 (available 24x7) or iCall, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences' helpline - 02225521111, which is available Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 10 pm.)