Karnataka chief minister BS Yediyurappa on Friday ordered an inquiry into the suicide of Dr SR Nagendra, a taluk health officer of Nanjangud in Mysore district. The probe was ordered after the Karnataka Employees Union claimed that the health officer was facing work pressure and mental harassment from the Zilla Panchayat CEO P K Mishra.
The doctor was allegedly under intense work pressure in spite of not taking a day off for the last six months due to Covid-19 related work, according to colleagues and family members. Dr Nagendra had died by suicide at his residence in Alanhalli of Najangud taluk on Thursday night.
Physicians, nurses, other ancillary health workers, and Covid warriors had gone on a flash strike demanding justice for Dr Nagendra and action against his superiors. KPCC president DK Shivakumar had also hit out at the state government and alleged that a cover-up was being done in the death of a Covid warrior.
The CM in his order said that the probe would be headed by the Mysore regional commissioner and a report would be submitted within seven days. He also announced a sum of Rs 50 lakh to Dr Nagendra’s family as well as a government job to his wife Anitha. The strike by the health workers was withdrawn after the announcement of the probe.