Horticulture Department official ends life, suicide note indicates work-related stress

CHENNAI: An official of the Horticulture Department allegedly died by suicide in Pallavaram. A single-line suicide note written by him said that the decision was taken due to his inability to handle work burden. Saravana Kumar was a resident of Pallavaram and assistant director of the department in Kancheepuram. According to police, 

Kumar’s wife and others in the family had gone to their hometown for Pongal festival. When Kumar did not call her on Pongal Day, the woman asked a neighbour to check her house. However, the neighbour found the man hanging from the ceiling, police said. The body was sent to Government Chromepet Hospital for postmortem examination. Police said that the man had contracted Covid and reported to duty early this month. (Assistance for those having suicidal thoughts is available on Tamil Nadu’s health helpline 104 and Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050). ENS