Upset over lack of job, man ends life in Kerala capital

A 28-year old man died of suicide in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday, allegedly depressed due to lack of job and cancellation of Excise rank list in which he held the 77th rank, triggering protests by opposition Congress and BJP which held the Left front government responsible for the death.

Anu, a city native, was found hanging at his residence on Sunday morning, and a sucide note recovered stated that he had been depressed over failure to get a job, police said.

Relatives and friends of Anu told mediapersons that he was depressed after the civil excise officer rank list was cancelled by the state Public Service Commission (PSC) recently after the vacancies were filled.

"He had the 77th rank in the civil excise officer rank list, But the PSC cancelled the list and he was depressed.

He was not speaking toanyone, not eating properly, sitting alone in the dark and all," a relative said.

Congress and the BJP attacked the PSC and the Left government, saying if the list's validity had been extended by three more months his death could have been saved.

However, the PSC rejected the charge with a member saying the list, already extended till June 30, got cancelled automatically after filling the 66 available vacancies.

“He was the sole breadwinner of the family. The state government is responsible for his death. If the validity of the list had been extended for three more months, this death could have been avoided," Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala, who visited the house of the deceased, told reporters.

The Youth Congress announced it will stage a fast in front of the PSC office on Monday over the death.

BJP state chief K Surendran told a press meet in Kozhikode that a case should be registered against the PSC chairman over the death of Anu.

"A case should be registered against the PSC chairman.

The government should give a job to a family member of Anu and adequate compensation should also be given," he said.

Activists Youth Congress, BJP's Yuva Morcha and the Youth League of IUML staged protests across the state with violence marring them at some places.

PSC member opes Mathew said there was no lapse on behalf of the commission.

"It's unfortunate that such an incident took place. Once a list is published, it does not mean that everyone in that list will get a job. The job is given as per the vacancies," he said.

. If there were like at least 150 vacancies, he would have got the job. "The list gets cancelled automatically," he added.