A day after FCI technical assistant Subhash Chandra Samad poisoned himself to death over an alleged bribe nexus of senior officials, 200 colleagues staged a demonstration in front of the district collectorate in Ranchi on Thursday, demanding action against those who abetted his suicide.
The FCI regional office is on the fourth floor of the district collectorate where 40-year-old Samad went to meet FCI general manager C. Muthumaran on Wednesday to complain against his seniors who allegedly wanted undue favours. When Muthumaran did not give him time, Samad consumed pesticide.
Angry FCI employees trooped to the collectorate around 11.30am on Thursday, shouting slogans like Muthumaran ko phansi do (Hang Muthumaran) and Mansik pratadna bandh karo (Stop mental torture). Slogans were also raised against FCI area manager Brajesh Kumar.
Samad's widow Fulmani, parents Dinesh Chandra and Rasmani, sister Sunita Munda and brother-in-law Haricharan Singh Munda joined the protest with his body in a coffin. They were taking the body to their native Kayda village in West Singhbum district.
"My son was under immense mental pressure. He visited us in the village last month and said he felt too burdened because his seniors wanted him to do things he didn't want to do," recalled Dinesh.
Abhay Kumar, regional secretary of FCI's executive staff union, demanded compensation for the bereaved family and a CBI probe. "A job should be provided to Samad's widow who lives in Chutia and compensation of Rs 1 crore paid too. We want a CBI probe and arrest of those accused of abetting the suicide," Kumar said.
The demo at the collectorate gate continued past 1pm. It shifted to Kutchery Road after hawkers took out a separate protest rally, demanding vending zones. This led to a bottleneck on Main Road around 2pm. ADM (law and order) Girija Shanker Prasad, executive magistrate Rajesh Kumar and traffic SP Manoj Ratan Chothe pacified the aggrieved people.
"An FIR has already been registered against FCI officials for abetment. As the deceased is a tribal, other relevant sections will be included in the FIR," Prasad promised.
Chothe diverted vehicles coming to Kutchery Chowk from Shaheed Chowk towards civil court. Gradually the protest quelled and normalcy returned around 2.45pm.
