Health official booked after homeopath kills self

THENI:  A 50-year-old homeopathy doctor died by suicide here on Saturday. After his family members alleged that torture and bribe demands from the Joint Director of Health Services led to his suicide, police registered a case of abetment of suicide against Joint Director Dr S Lakshmanan.

Homeopathy doctor G Srinivasan was found dead at his clinic at Lakshmipuram in Periyakulam on Saturday.

His wife Shanthi, in her police complaint, said, “Lakshmanan sought Rs 20,000 as bribe from my husband every month. He threatened to falsely claim that allopathy treatment was provided at Srinivasan’s clinic, and that he would seal it if he did not receive the bribe every month. Unable to bear the torture, my husband obtained an order from the Madurai Bench of Madras HC stating that his clinic was functioning as per government rules. However, the official again threatened to seal the clinic.

He even asked my husband to die by suicide along with family, if he could not arrange the money for a bribe. On Friday night, Srinivasan was depressed and told me he was going to take his life. I pacified him, and we slept in the same room. However, in the morning, he was missing.”

Meanwhile, villagers of Lakshmipuram staged a protest demanding the arrest of the Joint Director. They also refused to receive Srinivasan’s body from the hospital. Superintendent of Police Pravin Umesh Dongre told TNIE, “No suicide note was recovered.”

Collector K V Muralidharan said both the police department and the Additional Director of Health Services are conducting separate investigations into the case.

Assistance to those having suicidal thoughts is available at TN Health Department Helpline number 104 and Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline number 044-24640050.