Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Feb 10: Manjunath Hegde from Barkur in the district, who was working as a teacher in a High School at Kallur Road in Chincholi, Gulbarga district, committed suicide on Wednesday February 9 by consuming poison. In a death note left behind, he has narrated about the harassment he suffered at the hands of his colleagues.

Hegde, a MA degree holder, had joined service as a teacher in Kallur Road High Schoool at Chicholi, seven months back. It is gathered that he had told his brothers about the professional jealousy prevalent among his colleagues, and the mental torture he suffered at their hands. Although he had decided to resign from his work, his family members had urged him to get adjusted to the situation and continue with his work. Prashant, brother of Hegde, said that Manjunath had informed the higher officials about the financial irregularities in the school, but no one listened to his pleas.

Two letters, sealed and stamped, and addressed to Bangalore police commissioner, Shankar Bidari, and Gulbarga superintendent of police, Padmanayana respectively, were found at Manjunath’s house. The fact that Hegde died before posting the letter, and non-recovery of any container of poison at his home, have given rise to doubts in the minds of the policemen and others, about the cause of his death.

The policemen in the meantime, have arrested five teachers in this connection, and produced them in the court. The names of these teachers, who were remanded to judicial custody, are said to be Kishore Kumar, teacher and president of Taluk Teachers Association, in-charge headmaster, Pravin Kumar, and other teachers, Raghavendra, Abdul Razack, and Bheema Rao.