Daijiworld Media Network - Tumakuru (SP)

Tumakuru, Feb 13: Frustrated at the fact that the government officials had refused to renew his application for monthly pension of Rs 1,200 which he used to get in the past, a specially abled person committed suicide in the district.

The person who consumed poison on the evening of Monday February 11 and died at the hospital the next morning, has been identified as Dharanesh, a resident of Lingayyana Palya in this taluk. A person who recorded Dharanesh saying that he decided to end his life as his application for disability pension was rejected, shared the same, and it has since become viral.

Reacting to the incident, deputy commissioner, K Rakesh Kumar, said that Dharanesh's application had not been rejected. He felt that on account of wrong information provided by someone else about his family income, his application could have not yet been sanctioned.

Dharanesh, who had 80 percent disability, used to receive pension since long. As he was minor till now, his pension used to be credited to the bank account of his father. As he had attained majority now, he had met the deputy commissioner on Monday to get the pension credited to his bank account. As per the deputy commissioner's suggestion, he had visited the office of the tahsildar the same afternoon and handed over his application. It is said that the officials there refused to renew his pension, saying that his annual income exceeds Rs 15,000. But it is said that as per rules, the income limit is Rs 17,000 and Dharanesh was eligible for pension.

Some locals who saw Dharanesh shedding tears on his return from the tahsildar's office at Beladhara bus stand, questioned him and a person there recorded what he said on video. Dharanesh said that the tahsildar, Paramesh, had refused to renew his pension application and therefore he had decided to commit suicide. He then went home, explained about his pain to his parents, and told them about his decision to commit suicide. His family members dissuaded him from taking any drastic steps, but he consumed poison at 7.30 pm the same day when no one else was at home. He was taken to the district hospital here for treatment but without responding to treatments, he breathed his last on Tuesday morning.

The deputy commissioner said that he has asked the sub-divisional officer and assistant director of pensions to investigate the incident. He also said that the family of the deceased will get compensation from chief minister's relief fund.

A case of unnatural death stands registered at Kora police station in this connection.

Nagarajayya and Veeramma couple have three daughters, and Dharanesh was their only son. Two of the daughters are specially abled and they solely depend on the disability pension for a living. Dharanesh, who was also fully reliant on the disability pension, committed suicide because of tension over having to lead his life without pension, said his relative, Lakkanna.