Bengaluru: IOC senior manager jumps to death from 4th floor of Unity Building

A senior manager with the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) died after jumping from the fourth floor of the Unity Building in central Bengaluru on Thursday, police and an eyewitness said.

Aparna Kumari (40) finished the day’s work at 5.30 pm and hid in a toilet for an hour. She then jumped out of a window, said Srinivas R Gowda, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central).

Located on JC Road, the Unity Building has offices, shops and restaurants. It’s one of the landmarks in this part of the town. The IOC office is located on the fourth floor.

An employee working at the business centre saw Aparna trying to jump off the building and tried to save her, said an officer from the jurisdictional SJ Park police.

Prem, an eyewitness, told reporters that Aparna tied a piece of cloth around her neck and strung it to the window grille. Someone tried to save her but she eventually jumped down, he added.

As Aparna lay on the ground with grievous injuries, bystanders called an ambulance. Medics who attended to her shortly afterwards declared her dead. The body has been sent to Victoria Hospital where a post-mortem will be conducted on Friday.

Police found a diary and mobile phone in her possession, and are examining them.

Police are treating the case as suicide, saying the deceased suffered from depression. She was transferred to Bengaluru recently but it’s unclear where she was posted before. Her husband lives in Delhi, and she had worked in the capital, according to police.

Police have informed Aparna’s husband and will speak to him once he arrives in Bengaluru. “Only a thorough examination will reveal the exact reason for the extreme step,” the DCP said.