Another terminated teacher of Tripura commits suicide after pouring acid to son

Agartala: Another jobless among 10,323 terminated teachers of Tripura committed suicide after pouring sulphuric acid in the mouth of her one-year-old son yesterday in Ampura area of Khowai amid their ongoing sit-in demonstration for past 34 days seeking alternative livelihood.

The child has been undergoing treatment in a critical condition at a private hospital here. According to the report, 30 years old Rumi Debbarma - mother of two children had consumed sulphuric acid in the afternoon after pouring one spoon acid in the mouth of her son Ayan Debbarma in the lonely house.

Rumi’s six years old daughter heard unusual sounds inside her home when she was playing outside with neighbours. Upon returning home she found mother lying on the floor unconscious and the face of her brother was burnt and she raised an alarm, which neighbours came to shift them to hospital. The victim’s husband Dinesh Debbarman was not at home during the incident, said victim’s father Rabi Debbarma.

Both Rumi and Dinesh were among those 10,323 terminated teachers and the family claimed after losing their job Rumi was depressed, although her husband got involved in raw latex dealing business in the locality and somehow managed the family. Rumi happened to be a gold medallist in Education at her post-graduation, and could not accept her termination.

However, police claimed that a five-page note in Kokborok (tribal dialect) language was recovered from the deceased house, which indicated that she was not happy with her marital life. Allegedly, her husband was involved in an extramarital affair, which police believed to be the reason for Rumi’s suicide.

“A bottle of sulphuric acid was found in the house, which has been used for Latex Coagulant and she consumed it. Mother and son were immediately rushed to a local hospital from where they were referred to Agartala Govt Medical College in crucial condition. We are investigating all the angles and spoke to the deceased husband, daughter and in-laws as well,” said an investigating police officer.

However, the agitating jobless teachers alleged that Rumi committed suicide because of her bleak future. This is the second incident of the suicide of terminated teachers during their ongoing agitation. Earlier, as many as 66 terminated teachers had died due to frustration after formally sacked on March 31 last following the judgement of the Supreme Court.

Earlier, in May 2014 high court of Tripura had cancelled the job of 10323 teachers after finding a gross violation in the selection process but the then left front government had moved the apex court challenging the decision of the high court. After a long hearing, the Supreme Court upheld the judgment and asked the state government to terminate them.

“The toll of retrenched teachers will continue to rise unless immediate measures are taken by the state government as committed by Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb. We shall choose to die in the streets, if required we will get killed, but we need our jobs back”, said an agitating teacher Amalendu Debbarma. (UNI)