New Delhi: A 43-year-old staff member of the Saket District Court died by suicide on Friday after jumping from the fifth floor of the court complex in South Delhi. Police recovered a suicide note in which he cited overwhelming work pressure and physical disability as the reasons behind his decision. The incident has triggered protests by court staff and lawyers, drawing attention to the mental health challenges faced by judicial employees.
The deceased was identified as Harish Singh Mahar, who worked as an ahlmad, a court record keeper, in a digital traffic court. The incident occurred at around 10 am, when people present in the court premises heard a loud noise and rushed to the spot.
Police officials confirmed that a handwritten suicide note was found at the scene. In the note, Mahar wrote that his job had become extremely difficult for him to manage. He stated that he was 60 percent disabled and had struggled to cope with the workload. He added that he believed he would be able to handle the pressure but eventually failed. The note clearly mentioned that he did not hold anyone personally responsible for his death.
Colleagues later shared that Mahar had been under visible stress for several months. He reportedly suffered from disturbed sleep and anxiety due to mounting work responsibilities and the pressure of clearing pending cases in the digital traffic court.
After the fall, Mahar was immediately taken to PSRI Hospital in an unconscious condition. Doctors declared him dead shortly after he was brought in. The police later shifted his body to AIIMS for postmortem examination as part of standard procedure.
Deputy Commissioner of Police South Ankit Chauhan confirmed that a case has been registered and that the matter is under investigation. Officials have stated that there are no indications of foul play at this stage.
Soon after the incident, court staff members and lawyers gathered outside the Saket court complex and staged a protest. Many raised slogans demanding justice for Mahar and highlighted the excessive workload faced by court employees. Several colleagues described him as a dedicated and cheerful individual who was slowly overwhelmed by professional stress.
(Rh/ARC)