MSEDCL lineman ends life over transfer

A MSEDCL lineman Madhav Marotrao Bobade (51), who was transferred to Akola zone by the company, ended his life on Wednesday morning at his residence in New Subhedar Layout.

Bobade was working at AFO substation of MSEDCL. As he had not joined Spanco on deputation he was transferred to Akola zone (comprising Amravati, Akola, Yavatmal, Washim and Buldhana districts) along with 346 other company staffers. The exact location of the new posting had not been decided by the company. The industrial court had stayed the transfers till Wednesday but Bobade apparently did not expect a favourable judgment.

Bobade's agony was apparently compounded as he was being transferred at a time when his son's engagement was just a month away. The engagement of his son Vivek, an Army jawan, is to be held on June 6 and wedding was scheduled for June 26.

Bobade lived with his wife Nirmala and younger daughter Roshni. His elder daughter Vaishali is married and his son is posted in Pokhran (Rajasthan). Bobade was found hanging from the ceiling of a room on the top floor of his three storey house at around 6am by his younger daughter Roshni. As her mother Nirmala was out of station, she immediately informed her uncle Rajeshwar Choudhary, who in turn intimated Hudkeshwar police station.

Choudhary found a suicide note in Bobade's pocket, which stated that he was ending his life due to the transfer. Bobade did not hold anyone responsible for his death.

Vivek said that his father was very disturbed over the distant posting. "My father did not want my mother and sister to live in Nagpur alone. I had tried to convince him that we would go to court and if the court's decision was not favourable, I would quit my job. My father was however pessimistic about the whole issue."

Suryakant Abhang and Prabhakar Mane blamed MSEDCL top officials for Bobade's death. "Appointing a franchisee in Nagpur where we had worked so hard to reduce losses was very unjust. At least we should have been transferred within the district or to nearby districts from where daily commuting is possible. The management should have realized a person who had worked in urban areas right from the beginning will find it difficult to work in rural areas where we won't get the necessary facilities."

Mane alleged that transfer of linemen to distant areas was part of pressure tactics being adopted by MSEDCL to make them join Spanco. Meanwhile, a senior MSEDCL official refusing to be quoted said that transferring class IV staffers faraway from their homes was unjust. "They have never been transferred out of Nagpur. Suddenly you are sent to a place 200km away. Many linemen are shocked by the company's decision."

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