Frustrated at Not Having Liquor, K’taka Labourer Tries to End Life

Two men killed themselves in Karnataka’s Dakshina Kannada district on Saturday.

Image for representation. 

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Apparently frustrated at not being able to get liquor due to the lockdown, a tippler in a Karnataka village attempted to end his life, police said on Monday, 30 March.

The man, identified as Hanumanthappa (48), a resident of Chikkadalavatta village in Madhugiri Tehsil in Tumakuru district, has been admitted to a hospital in Bengaluru with grievous neck injuries, police added.

The labourer was aggrieved that he was unable to get liquor for the past four days and his attempts to get it failed. Upset at not being able to drink, he took the extreme step on Sunday.

He was rushed to hospital where his condition is said to be stable, police said.

Meanwhile, a man caused a flutter by warning in a video message that he would end his life if he was not provided liquor.

The man from Turuvekere in Tumakuru district held the prime minister and the state chief minister for not being able to procure liquor.

Coming to know about the video, police rounded him up and when questioned said that some people forced him to issue a video message.

"I never intended to commit suicide. I am safe and nothing has happened to me," he said in another video message, apparently shot by a police officer.

Two People Kill Themselves Over Liquor in Karnataka

In continuing cases of tipplers in the southern states ending their lives due to non-availability of liquor during the lockdown, two men killed themselves in Karnataka's Dakshina Kannada district.

The two cases were reported in Kadaba taluk on Saturday, police said.

Tomy Thomas (50), a rubber tapping labourer in an estate at Kutrupadi village of the taluk, was found hanging at his rented house on Saturday. Thomas, a native of Kottayam in Kerala, had joined at the estate here a month ago.

Local people said he was desperately moving around in the last few days asking about places where he can get liquor. He had also not reported to work in these days.

The body has been kept at the mortuary of a hospital at Deralakatte.

In another incident, a 70-year old man, belonging to Kodimbala village in the taluk, allegedly hanged himself from the branch of a tree near his house at Nakur.

The deceased has been identified as Thomas, who had left his family here 30 years ago and had been working in Kerala. He had returned here only a few years back.

Sources said Thomas, an alcohol addict, was having health problems related to withdrawal. He has been living on pavements at Kadaba without going home.

Kadaba police has registered cases in connection with the two incidents.

Incidents of tipplers committing suicide have been reported in Kerala and Telangana in the past few days. Two men ended their lives in Kerala while a 50-year old daily wage worker jumped to death from a building in Hyderabad on Friday.