A 42-year-old man named Tarun Saxena, who worked as an area manager at Bajaj Finance, tragically died by suicide in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh. In a suicide note, Saxena alleged that his senior managers had been relentlessly pressuring him to meet his collection targets over the last two months, often threatening him with salary deductions if he failed to do so. Bajaj Finance has yet to comment on these allegations.

Tarun was discovered this morning by his house help after locking his wife and two children in a separate room. He is survived by his parents, his wife Megha, and his two children, Yatharth and Pihu.

In a five-page letter addressed to his wife, Tarun revealed the extreme stress he had been under due to his inability to meet the company's targets, despite his best efforts. He explained that his job entailed collecting Equated Monthly Installments (EMIs) for Bajaj Finance loans in his area, but several issues had prevented him from achieving the required results. Fearing the loss of his job, Tarun wrote that his seniors frequently humiliated him for his shortcomings. "I am very tense about the future. I have lost my ability to think," he wrote.

In the letter, Tarun also disclosed that he and his colleagues were being forced to pay for the EMIs they could not recover. Despite raising concerns about the challenges in collecting payments with his seniors, his appeals were ignored. "I have not slept for 45 days. I have hardly eaten. I am under a lot of stress. Senior managers are pressuring me to meet targets at any cost or quit," he confided in his note.

Tarun mentioned that he had taken care of his children’s school fees until the end of the year and apologized to his family for his decision. He asked his parents to take care of Megha and the children and made a personal request to have the second floor of their house built for the family’s comfort. "Mummy, Papa, I have never asked for anything, but am doing so now. Please get the second floor built so that my family can stay comfortably," he pleaded.

In his final message to his children, he encouraged them to study diligently and look after their mother. He also urged his relatives to ensure his family receives the insurance payout and advised them to file a police complaint against the senior managers named in his note. "They are responsible for my decision," Tarun asserted.

Gaurav Saxena, Tarun's cousin, confirmed that Tarun had been under pressure to increase loan recovery rates. Gaurav further stated that during a video conference at 6 a.m. on the day of his death, Tarun’s seniors applied even more mental pressure by suggesting that he was unfit for his job and should be fired. Tarun explicitly named these individuals in his suicide note.

Local police officer Vinod Kumar Gautam stated that the authorities are currently awaiting the post-mortem report. "The suicide note says his seniors were pressuring him over the targets. If we get a complaint from the family, we will take action," he assured.

This incident has drawn attention to the increasing concerns over toxic work environments in India. The death of Tarun Saxena comes on the heels of a similar case involving a 26-year-old chartered accountant, Anna Sebastian Perayil, who also died by suicide. Anna’s death, just four months after she joined Ernst & Young (EY), sparked a nationwide debate on the harmful effects of overwork and stress in corporate settings.

Anna’s mother, Anita Augustine, wrote a public letter to EY India chairman Rajiv Memani, where she criticized the company’s work culture. She emphasized that her daughter worked late into the night and even during weekends, often without a break. The letter went viral on social media, prompting widespread outrage and calls for change in work culture across industries.

Responding to the letter, Rajiv Memani expressed his deep sorrow. "I am deeply saddened, and as a father, I can only imagine Ms. Augustine's grief. I have conveyed my deepest condolences to the family, although nothing can fill the void in their lives," he said.

He also acknowledged the criticism on social media regarding some of EY's work practices and vowed to prioritize employee well-being. "I would like to affirm that the well-being of our people is my top-most priority and I will personally champion this objective. I am absolutely committed to nurturing a harmonious workplace, and I will not rest until that objective is accomplished," Memani posted on LinkedIn.

Following the widespread attention Anita Augustine's letter received, the Union Labour Ministry has launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Anna’s death.

(Input from various sources)

(Rehash/Yash Kamble/MSM)