Tumakuru, March 21 – A chilling case of workplace despair unfolded in Karnataka when a senior government employee committed suicide at his desk, merely seven days shy of retirement. The man’s final words, captured on video, point fingers at a superior for years of torment.
Mallikarjun, Assistant Director at the Social Welfare Department, was a resident of Gundaralahalli near Pavagada. After three dedicated years in service, his life ended abruptly in the very office he served.
Authorities revealed that prior to the act, he filmed a poignant message accusing Joint Director Krishnappa of psychological abuse. Circulated among peers, the video lays bare his anguish: ‘My family – mother, wife, kids – they’ve been my pillar. I wanted to do more for them, but Krishnappa’s harassment has broken me.’
‘God and justice will punish him. No revenge needed from my kin,’ he concluded in the clip.
The Pavagada police station has taken up the probe, securing the suicide note equivalent in video form. Disturbingly, history repeats itself in the family – Mallikarjun’s father, also from the same department, died months before his retirement. Mallikarjun joined via compassionate appointment post his father’s demise.
This pattern of pre-retirement tragedies in government service is alarming. Just last year on May 26 in Shivamogga, Accounts Superintendent Chandrashekaran P’s suicide note exposed coercion into illicit financial dealings by coworkers.
Experts are calling for systemic reforms, including mandatory counseling and anonymous reporting channels for harassment. As the investigation deepens, the department faces mounting pressure to address toxic work cultures that push dedicated employees to the brink.
Mallikarjun’s story is a stark reminder: behind every uniform is a human story deserving dignity, especially in the twilight of a long career.