Hassan: E. Vijaya (35), a Karnataka Administrative Service (KAS) officer, attempted suicide at her official residence here on Thursday.
Ms. Vijaya was rescued by Additional Superintendent of Police Shobharani whom she called before trying to hang herself.
Ms. Shobharani, who is also Ms. Vijaya’s neighbour, was at home when she got the call. The police officer rushed to Ms. Vijaya’s house, broke open the door of her room, rescued her and took her to a private hospital.
Ms. Vijaya is being treated in the intensive care unit, and doctors said she is out of danger.
Superintendent of Police R.K. Shahapurwad toldThe Hindu , “As of now, we have not found any suicide note. We will conduct a mahajar of the room.” He said, “We have not yet registered a case. We will have to record her statement.”
Though Ms. Vijaya’s mother, Sumithramma, was in the house, she was not aware of the suicide attempt. “I was in the front room. Vijaya returned home in the afternoon and went to her bedroom. I came to know about her attempt to commit suicide only when the police officer rushed in and broke open the room door,” she said.
‘Upset with protests’
Ms. Sumithramma told presspersons that her daughter had often complained about harassment by Additional Deputy Commissioner K.M. Janaki and Deputy Commissioner Umesh Kusugal. “Moreover, she was upset with the recent protests against her,” she said.
Several progressive organisations in the city had accused Ms. Vijaya of corruption and staged protests demanding her transfer.Ms. Vijaya was posted as Assistant Commissioner of Hassan sub-division in January 2016. The State government transferred her to the Medical Education Department as the Administrative Officer of the Hassan Institute of Medical Sciences on June 22. H.L. Nagaraju, another KAS officer, was posted as Assistant Commissioner.
KAT stays transfer
Ms. Vijaya reported for duty in the department in Bengaluru, but went on leave. The officer moved the Karnataka Administrative Tribunal (KAT), challenging her transfer on the grounds that she had not yet completed two years in the post. On July 8, the KAT issued an order staying her transfer. By then, however, Mr. Nagaraju had taken charge.
JD(S) leader H.D. Revanna, who along with Hassan MLA, H.S. Prakash, visited her in the hospital, told presspersons, “The officer attempted suicide because she was not allowed to take charge as Assistant Commissioner in Hassan though she had got the KAT order. She complained of harassment by Minister for Animal Husbandry A. Manju, who is also in charge of the district, the Deputy Commissioner, and the Additional DC”.
Later, JD(S) workers staged a protest on the Bengaluru–Mangaluru Road, demanding action against Mr. Manju and senior officers of the Revenue Department.