Central Secretariat officers take out march over 'harassed' colleague's suicide bid, demand enquiry

New Delhi, Oct 14 (PTI) A Central Secretariat Service (CSS) officers' association on Tuesday held a peace march at the Shastri Bhawan here, demanding an impartial and time-bound probe into a suicide attempt by one of their colleagues, allegedly due to workplace harassment.

The association expressed its anguish over an alleged lack of accountability and delay in doing the employee justice in the matter.

On September 29, CSS officer Deepak Khoda fell from the seventh floor of Shastri Bhawan. He told the police that he had slipped while trying to fend off a monkey attack.

However, in a complaint given to the police on October 1, Khoda alleged that he had tried to attempt suicide due to repeated humiliation by senior colleagues for several months, which made him "depressed." The association on Tuesday claimed that no FIR was lodged by the police even after the passage of 15 days since the suicide bid.

Last week, the representatives of the CSS Forum met Union Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Virendra Kumar, who assured them action would be taken in the matter, said Udit Arya, the outfit's advisor.

On Tuesday, the CSS officers held a peace march, followed by a sit-in in front of the office of the Secretary (Social Justice), Amit Yadav, demanding immediate and fair enquiry, he said.

The officers are committed to dignity, fairness, and a safe working environment for all members of the service, Arya said.

Khoda, who has been working in the ministry for the last nine years, alleged that he had been harassed by senior officers, including an additional secretary and a deputy secretary, for the past several months.

The CSS Forum has also written to Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Jitendra Singh, regarding the incident and sought his intervention. PTI AKV VN VN