A 39-year-old DLSA employee in Jagatsinghpur died by suicide after recording a video accusing senior officials of mental harassment and torture. Police have registered an unnatural death case and launched a detailed investigation following an FIR by his wife.
A tragic incident was reported from Jagatsinghpur where a 39-year-old employee of the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) died by suicide after allegedly facing continuous mental harassment at his workplace. Before taking the extreme step, the man recorded a video accusing his senior officers of torture and harassment and shared it with his relatives and friends.
The deceased has been identified as Nihar Ranjan Mohanty, a resident of Saharpur under Kendrapara police limits. He was working as a Class IV employee with the DLSA and was living in a rented house at Nuapole in Jagatsinghpur along with his family.
According to sources, Mohanty recorded a video message shortly before his death, in which he described the difficulties he was facing at his workplace. In the video, he reportedly said it was his last day and blamed certain DLSA authorities for mentally harassing and torturing him. The video was sent to his close relatives and friends before he died.
The incident took place at around 7 am on Thursday. Mohanty’s wife, Sumitra, noticed something unusual when she came out after taking a bath and found the kitchen door locked from inside. She knocked repeatedly on the door but received no response. Worried, she called neighbours, and with their help, the door was broken open. Inside, Mohanty was found hanging from the ceiling, sources said.
He was immediately taken to the Jagatsinghpur district headquarters hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead. After his death, Sumitra approached Jagatsinghpur police and lodged a First Information Report (FIR), demanding a proper investigation into the circumstances leading to her husband’s death and seeking justice.
In her complaint, Sumitra alleged that her husband was repeatedly humiliated and mentally harassed by his seniors at the workplace. She further claimed that his salary had not been paid for a considerable period, which pushed the family into severe financial hardship. She also stated that Mohanty was recently excluded from an office feast because he could not afford to contribute money for it.
Sumitra said she was not initially aware of the video recorded by her husband before his death. “During the incident, my husband’s phone was on airplane mode, preventing communication,” she claimed, while urging the police to verify the authenticity of the video as part of the investigation.
Confirming the development, Jagatsinghpur IIC Sarojkant Samal said an unnatural death case has been registered in connection with the incident. “The body has been sent for postmortem and further probe is on,” he added.
The case has raised serious concerns over alleged workplace harassment within government institutions and the mental health challenges faced by lower-rank employees. Police authorities have assured that all aspects, including the allegations made in the video and the complaint filed by the deceased’s wife, will be examined thoroughly as part of the ongoing investigation.
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