Hyderabad: A 56-year-old civil supplies manager accused of sexually harassing a woman died by suicide in Kothagudem district on Saturday, October 17.
The deceased was identified as Ananthula Lakshminarayana, a native of Paloncha mandal, who hanged himself at a lodge.
A suicide note found at the lodge mentioned six names whom he held responsible for driving him to take the extreme step.
The note accused Rajulapudi Rajitha, an employee at the Paloncha HP gas office, her husband Rajesh, 10TV reporter Naga Chandu, HP Gas employee Kaleem-who also works as a reporter, Big TV reporter Venkanna and TV9 reporter Ravi of being responsible for his death.
Rajitha allegedly pestered him to allow her and other workers to collect extra money from the consumers as well as divert LPG cylinders to the black market to meet their financial needs. He didn’t allow it.
Unable to bear the harassment, he went on a 21-day leave and also tried to get a transfer, which did not yield any result.
Lakshminarayana stated that a few days ago, Rajitha’s husband, Nayini Rajesh, who works as a reporter for a vernacular daily, and a few others came to the HP gas office and verbally abused and threatened to kill him.
On September 30, they lodged a complaint to the District Collector accusing him of sexually harassing Rajitha. The Collector referred the matter to the internal complaints committee (ICC) and an enquiry was conducted three days later.
The deceased officer, with deputy tahsildar rank, further alleged that Rajesh and others have demanded Rs 1 crore to withdraw the sexual harassment case lodged against him, but he refused to yield to their pressure.
Bhadrachalam Deputy Superintendent of Police, M Arun Kumar, said, “Based on the suicide note, a case of abetment to suicide has been registered under Section 108 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). An investigation is underway.”
