ROURKELA: Alleging delay in regularisation of her job, a female contractual employee tried to end her life on the premises of Rourkela Municipal Corporation (RMC) on Monday.
Before attempting suicide, Saraswati Samantray, in her mid-thirties, went live on Facebook expressing frustration over not being regularised after the accidental death of her husband who was a casual worker of the RMC.
While live streaming on the social networking platform, Saraswati complained that repeated requests for regularisation of her job fell on deaf ears. She was promised of rehabilitation which never happened and years of struggles left her in mental duress, the woman claimed.
Sources in the RMC said the incident took place between 11.30 am and 12 pm. After coming across her Facebook video, the woman’s coworkers rushed to the store section, located adjacent to the main building of RMC, and found the door locked from inside. They broke open the door and rescued her just at the nick of the moment when she was about to hang herself. Saraswati was admitted to the Rourkela Government Hospital (RGH).
Deputy SP (DSP) Amarendra Sandh said on being informed, a police team rushed to the RMC office for detailed investigation. The victim’s condition is stable and reasons behind her trying to take the extreme step would be known after completion of probe.
Sources said Saraswati works as a store attendant in the RMC and was engaged through an outsourcing agency. On August 29, 2016, her husband Ladu Kishore Samantray, a non-muster roll (NMR) lineman helper of the RMC, had died after suffering electric shock while repairing a street light at Orampada within Uditnagar police limits.
Demanding compensation and job to his widow, Ladu’s coworkers had resorted to protest. Subsequently, the RMC authorities had engaged Saraswati as a contract worker through an outsourcing agency.
RMC sources said since the woman’s husband was a casual worker, there was no provision for regular employment on compassionate ground.
Meanwhile, Sundargarh collector Subhankar Mohapatra accompanied by Rourkela ADM Dheenah Dastageer met Saraswati at the RGH and inquired about her condition. The collector said all possible support would be extended to her.
(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.)