Having unable to bear ‘pressure’ from the panchayat president, K Nidugane Gram Panchayat PDO Shashikirana has attempted to commit suicide by consuming 10 to 15 tablets, on Friday. She is battling for life.
“She is not yet recovered and her condition is serious. We will keep her under observation,” said the doctor who is treating her.
Speaking to presspersons, her father Aras said that Shashikrana has been working as the PDO for the last three years. “There was no problem during the term of the previous president. Pradeep was elected as the president in December.
He was pressurising her to prepare bills for the work that have not been completed,” he alleged and added that his daughter was under stress and took an extreme step to end her life. She was transferred to Madikeri taluk panchayat last week. “However, she had told me that she will join her new office after completing the audit work in the gram panchayat in the first week of June,” he said.
“The president had pressurised her to sign cheque leaves on Thursday. As the government had entrusted the power of signing cheques to the panchayat development officers, many a time, the panchayat president and members pressurise the PDOs to sign the cheques. Hence, the government should take back the power from the PDOs. We want our children to be safe,” he said.
“Shashikirana was good at work. She had told us on the torture she was undergoing,” said collegue Shobharani.
Shashikirana was in a Central government job in Bangalore. “As she wanted to serve in her home town and be with her parents, she resigned her earlier job and wrote PDO examination. As she had secured good marks, she was selected on merit. She was happy that she could serve in her home town.
However, her happiness did not last long. Though she had brought the issue to the notice of the higher authorities, none had helped her,” claim her parents.