BERHAMPUR: A 29-year-old man allegedly attempted suicide by consuming pesticide at the collectorate in Chhatrapur on Monday.
The man, identified as Jagabandhu Pradhan of Gauda Singipur village under Buguda block, was rushed to the Chhatrapur sub-divisional hospital before being referred to MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur.
Initial information suggested Pradhan was reportedly frustrated over protracted delay in resolution of a land and compensation-related grievance.
He had allegedly accused a revenue inspector (RI) of harassing him and approached several government authorities, including the Chief Minister’s Grievance Cell seeking redressal.
On the day, Pradhan reached the collectorate hoping to meet the collector and get his grievance addressed. However, as collector V Keerthi Vasan was away, he stayed on the premises for several hours. In the evening, Pradhan reportedly took out a bottle of pesticide from his bag and consumed it.
The staff at the collectorate noticed him and immediately rushed him to the hospital.
“Pradhan is stable and conscious. He has been kept under observation as the type of poison allegedly consumed by him is not known yet,” said doctors attending to him at the casualty ward of the medical college.
The bottle allegedly containing the pesticide could not be found despite a search at the Chhatrapur hospital, the staff said.
Collector Vasan termed the incident ‘most unfortunate and unwarranted’, saying Pradhan’s issues were already heard at the collector’s grievance cell.
“The tehsildar concerned has already been directed to resolve the matter at the earliest. Necessary measures had been initiated,” Vasan said.
The collector said officials have been asked to ascertain what prompted Pradhan to take the extreme step.
