Govt's apathy, denial of regular job compels pharmacist to hang himself
Saturday, 22/06/2013
http://www.punjabnewsline.com/news/govts-apathy-denial-of-regular-job-compels-pharmacist-to-hang-himself/81432
BATHINDA: Unable to make both ends meet with a paltry salary of Rs 7,000 a month from his contractual job with Punjab government, veterinary pharmacist Jaswinder Singh finally bade goodbye to his life.
Betrayed by the government again and again promising regular jobs, the 35-year-old was one of the pharmacists protesting against government’s apathy for the past several weeks.
Singh gave up and hanged himself in Singo village dispensary in district Bathinda where he was posted.
He hanged himself with a ceiling fan around 10 am leaving behind a suicide note in which he blamed state government forcing him to take the extreme step.
As per sources, Jaswinder Singh daily commuted 70 km from his village Nehian Wala to reach Single village.
His suicide note reads: I, Jaswinder Singh S/O Balbir Singh, village Nehian Wala Bathinda posted as veterinary pharmacist, am committing suicide. Punjab government is responsible for my death. Tired of government’s indifference, I am ending my life. Death is better than this Rs 7,000 salary job.
Jaswinder Singh reportedly updated his suicide note on social networking site Facebook before committing suicide.
Bathinda police, however, claimed that Singh was suffering from mental illness due to which he committed suicide. It has also been alleged that police tore part of the suicide note where the victim had written down his Facebook Id pointing his suicide message.
The pharmacist is survived by his wife and a daughter (13) and son (6), besides his parents.
Talwandi Sabo DSP Jagdish Kumar expressed doubt over the authenticity of the suicide note. He said a relative of Jaswinder Singh had given statement that he was mentally ill.
He said he had no information about the Facebook update and further investigations were on.
