Alleging casteism and corruption in suicide video, Andhra govt official kills self

In the video, he accused four senior officials of denying him his promotion, despite paying Rs 70,000 as bribe.

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A video of a senior Assistant Officer working in Guntur’s Ponnuru Government Hospital in Andhra Pradesh has been going viral on social media, after it alleged bribery and caste-based harassment by senior officials, after surfacing on Thursday.

The man in the self-shot video, identified as Ravi Kumar, attempted suicide by drinking pesticide on Monday and was availing treatment. However, he died on Wednesday.

Following this, a video posted on his Facebook page moments before the suicide, began doing the rounds.

In the video, he names four of his senior colleagues, accusing them of denying his promotion, although he is the senior most employee who is legally due for the promotion.

In the video, Ravi also accuses the four officers of harassing him on casteist lines and says, “In the counselling for my promotion, I had filed numerous RTIs.. I am an SC— a Hindu Mala. Despite several fights, they denied my promotion.”

Pleading to the District Collector and Superintendent of Police to provide justice to him, he alleges that the officials demanded Rs 1 lakh for giving him promotion. Although he managed to pay Rs 70,000 after giving up his life savings, he wasn’t given the promotion.

As the video surfaced, several Dalit groups protested outside the hospital in which Ravi was treated and refused to take his body until action was taken against the officials accused in the video.

According to reports, Nagarapalem police have filed an FIR against the four officials under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Speaking to TNM, District Medical Health Officer, Dr Padmaja Rani said that Ravi was absconding from work for nearly two months. “Apparently he was dissatisfied with his deputation in Ponnuru and wanted to stay with his family.”

Refusing to comment further, she said, “The DSP is handling the case.”

Despite several attempts, Nagarapalem Circle Inspector Y Sridhar Reddy and Guntur Superintendent of Police Ch Vijaya Rao couldn’t be reached.