Tamil Nadu woman dies by suicide hoping for financial aid from state

A 39-year-old woman in Salem district of Tamil Nadu died by suicide by walking head on towards a moving bus

A 39-year-old woman in Salem district of Tamil Nadu died by suicide by walking head on towards a moving bus after some people allegedly advised that her children-- daughter and a son, who are studying in a college-- would get financial compensation from the government if she died in a road accident, said police.

The woman was allegedly advised that her children would get financial compensation from the government if she died in a road accident (Representational Image)

A 13-second CCTV footage of the accident from late June began circulating on social media on Tuesday which shows the mother, walking on the side of the road and when a bus approaches she walks ahead to the middle of the road. The bus knocks her down and immediately stops. HT could not independently verify the veracity of the video.

The Salem police had initially registered a case of accident. After the initial probe, the victim was identified as a sanitation worker employed on contract at the Salem district collectorate. “Those known to her have misled her that if anyone dies in a road accident hit by a bus, the government would give the family a financial compensation so she threw herself in front of the bus believing that the aid would be financial help for her children to complete their education,” a police official in Salem said. “She had died on the spot.”

“The government does announce compensation to those injured in accidents. Even two days ago when a bus rammed into four women killing them, the CM had announced a compensation but there is no such precedents for suicides,” said an official requesting anonymity.