MADURAI: A 22-year-old Dalit woman, who attempted suicide after she was allegedly insulted at her workplace, died at the Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH) on Tuesday. Following her death, the district police registered a case against three persons, including her employer.
According to sources, G Santhiya from Nagamalaipudukottai was a tailor at a garment factory in Kappalur. Several months ago Mani and Chitra, production manager and supervisor of the factory, forced her to work extra hours saying that she did not work well.
When she complained to higher officers in the factory, the duo started exacting revenge. They called her by her caste name in front of her co-workers. On November 9, after returning home from work, she consumed pesticide. She was rushed to Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH), but she died on Tuesday.
Her father, Gunasekaran, said she had been facing verbal harassment from her seniors at the garment factory over the past few days and this forced her to take the extreme step.
A police official said it was unlikely that the woman was sexually harassed as most of the areas in the garment factory are under CCTV surveillance. The Nagamalaipudukottai police registered a case against Mani, Chitra and factory owner Kannan under IPC Section 306 (abetment of suicide) and 3(2) (v) of the SC/ST (POA) Act.
The district administration has initiated steps to issue compensation to the family members.