A police constable attached with the Thane rural police attempted suicide by immolating himself at his residence in Vartak Nagar in Thane. Constable Bharat Thorat (51) is currently recuperating at the Thane Civil Hospital with 90 per cent burns and has been diagnosed to be in a critical condition. The police said that Mr Thorat suffered from severe depression after his leg was amputated owing to an accident and had attempted suicide on three earlier occasions.
Mr Thorat made the suicide bid between 3 to 4 am on Friday when he doused himself in kerosene and set himself alight. “His wife and children rushed to his aid after hearing his screams and took him to the hospital. He told us in his statement that he had been depressed and frustrated after being immobile for the past eight months because of the amputation following an accident,” said an officer. Mr Thorat was attached with the Bhoiwada police station in Bhiwandi.
Mr Thorat has been staying at home on an indefinite sick leave and not reported to work. “He had attempted to take his own life on two earlier occasions. On one such instance, he had tried to jump out of his building, but was stopped by family members in the nick of time. We have not yet registered any case and are investigating the matter further,” said senior PI N.S. Bangale of Vartak Nagar police station.
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After court order, msrtc to reinstate hiv+ person
Age Correspondent
Mumbai, Sept. 13
The MSRTC on Friday informed the Bombay high court that pursuant to the order passed by the court, it is willing to reinstate a HIV positive person in employment.
However, the MSRTC also told the court that he would be given an “easy” job — like that of a peon.
A division bench headed by Justice Abhay Oka was hearing a petition filed by Pune resident Ramesh Bhamre (name changed) challenging his termination on the basis of his disease.
During the earlier hearing, the court had ordered the MSRTC to reinstate him and said that dismissal on account of the person contracting HIV amounted to infringement of Constitutional right to livelihood.
According to the petition, Mr Bhamre was working as a driver with the MSRTC for a long time. “He is living with the HIV positive infection and is getting regular ART treatment from Sassoon General Hospi-tal,” stated the petition.
On May 15, 2012, the hospital’s medical superintendent issued a report stating he is unfit to work as driver for heavy vehicles. With reference to this report, the MSRTC authorities then removed Mr Bhamre as a driver on May 16, 2012.