High drama as former minister atttempts suicide

Rumours spread thick and fast on Tuesday evening that former minister S A Ramdas attempted suicide at his home in Gokulam here by either consuming poison or trying to hang himself. His driver rushed him to the hospital. 

K R Nagar MLA, Sa Ra Mahesh, said he visited the hospital after watching the television. But he said he was not aware of any “suicide attempt” by the former minister. 

As crowds began to swell, there was a minor altercation with demands that media persons be sent out of the hospital premises. Mahesh, BJP city unit president Maruti Rao Pawar and corporator Shivakumar intervened to prevent the situation from getting out of control. 

Earlier in the day, Premakumari, a second division clerk at the deputy commissioner’s office in Tumkur, alleged at a press conference that Ramdas had “sexually and mentally harassed” her. Ramdas “used his authority as a minister to transfer her frequently”, she claimed. 

Premakumari said she first met Ramdas in 2009 for a transfer from the assistant commissioner’s office in Tarikere to the DC’s office in Mysore. Ramdas then befriended her and they were in a relationship, she asserted. 

Later, she was transfered to the HMT maternity hospital, Mysore on deputation, where she worked for three years. Thereafter, Premakumari said, she was transfered to the DC’s office in Mysore by the end of 2012. “Within three months, Ramdas again transferred me to Tumkur. I refused to go there, as the education of my two children would have been affected,” she added. 

At the press meet, Premakumari received a phone call which she said was that of Ramdas and put the phone on the loudspeaker. The caller said, “Don’t do anything, or else I will consume poison and commit suicide.” 

“Three months ago, Ramdas married me unofficially at his home. Now he should marry me openly and accept me as his wife,” she demanded. Premakumari said she had photographs, videos and mobile phone clippings to substantiate her allegations which would be produced before the media. She said would also make a complaint to the police. 

Speaking to Deccan Herald over the phone, Ramdas confirmed that he knew the lady, saying she had approached him for a transfer. But he claimed she was “mentally unstable”. “I transfered her as per government procedure. Let her disclose any documents related to the matter,” he stated.