An ECG technician at Kota's JK Lon Hospital in Rajasthan allegedly died by suicide at his residence on Friday, leaving a handwritten note that accused three hospital officials, including the hospital superintendent, of mental harassment and of forcing him to work prolonged shifts, police and family accounts said.

Source: The Times of India

The technician, Satish Kumar Chandasi, 38, a resident of Mahatma Gandhi Colony in Kota, was found at his home at around 12:30 pm on Friday. His wife, Pooja, who was at her parental home, became concerned after he did not answer repeated calls and alerted her elder sister, who lived nearby. The sister found the main door open and discovered him inside, The Times of India reported. He was rushed to MBS Hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.

Family members later took his body to JK Lon Hospital and staged a sit-in, demanding action against those named in the note. Railway Colony police station sub-inspector Satyanarayan said a handwritten note had been recovered from the room, according to The Times of India.

What the note alleges — and what officials say

In the note, Satish alleged that the hospital administration had forced him to work consecutive shifts for 13 days without a break and had threatened to ruin his career when he objected. The note named nursing superintendents Mohan Lal Bairwa and Naveen Sharma and hospital superintendent Nirmala Sharma. He also alleged that when he approached the superintendent with his grievances, he was told to quit if he did not wish to work. These are allegations made in the note; they have not been established by any inquiry.

Source: IANS via hi INDiA

His father-in-law, Ramesh Chandra, alleged that officials had refused Satish's requests for medical leave or alternative arrangements and had threatened him with action if he did not report for duty. His brother-in-law, Suraj, told IANS that Satish had been under considerable mental stress because of his duty schedule, that he had allegedly been assigned continuous night shifts while other employees were on leave, and that his request for an alternative employee had reportedly been ignored.

Responding to the allegations, nursing superintendent Mohan Lal Bairwa said the hospital was facing a shortage of staff, that two employees from the labour room had been assigned to the ECG department, and that Satish himself was in charge of the ECG department; he denied speaking to Satish inappropriately. Hospital superintendent Nirmala Sharma denied having any knowledge of the matter, saying, according to IANS: "I have no information regarding ECG technician Satish, and he never approached me about this matter."

Deputy Superintendent of Police Rajesh Tailor said a case would be registered based on the family's complaint, The Times of India reported. What happens next will depend on the police investigation and any departmental inquiry; no official has been charged in connection with the death in the reports so far.

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