JAGATSINGHPUR: A 48-year-old dak sevak of Kujang sub-post office in Jagatsinghpur district allegedly ended his life on Sunday after being removed from his job for not possessing the required educational qualification.
The deceased was identified as Prasanta Kumar Lenka, a resident of Titira under Balikuda police limits. He was working as a dak sevak (packer) in Kujang sub-post office.
Sources said Prasanta’s father Dharmananda Lenka used to work as a gramin dak sevak (GDS) in the post office. After Dharmananda’s sudden death, his son was given the job of dak sevak (packer) on compassionate grounds in March 2023.
As per Rule 3-B (II) of the GDS (Conduct and Engagement) Rules, 2020, pass certificate of secondary school examination of 10th standard with passing marks in Mathematics and English (having been studied as compulsory or elective subjects), conducted by any recognised board, is required for all approved categories of GDS.
There is a provision that if the dependent of a deceased GDS does not possess the required certificate, he may be given time up to a maximum of three years to acquire the educational qualification.
During joining, Prasanta submitted his secondary school examination certificate issued by the National Institute of Open Schooling on February 17, 2026. The certificate was forwarded to the superintendent of post offices, Cuttack south division. However, it was found that Prasanta had secured 19 marks in English and it was marked as ‘SYC’ (subject yet to be cleared).
He had neither secured pass marks in English nor studied Mathematics as a compulsory subject in the 10th standard. Therefore, he failed to acquire the minimum required educational qualification within three years. Prasanta was terminated from service on March 6 since he had not acquired the minimum required educational qualification as per the rules.
Prasanta’s wife Lipina alleged after her husband was terminated from service, he was depressed for the last three days. “He was worried about our future after losing his job. Besides, he was being harassed by senior postal officers. With no means of livelihood and unable to bear the humiliation, my husband hanged himself,” she claimed.
Balikuda IIC Susanta Kumar Sahoo said police have registered an unnatural death case. A probe has been launched to ascertain the cause of death.