THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Suresh Babu who is on an indefinite agitation demanding action against those responsible for the death of his four-month-old daughter Rudra, climbed a tree in front of the Secretariat at 10 am and threatened to end his life. He and his family had been protesting outside the Secretariat for the past 49 days. On seeing him climbing the tree, wife Remya screamed for help. Soon police officials and local politicians rushed in and tried to persuade him to climb down.
However, he refused to accept their pleas. Later, fire force personnel arrived at the spot and forcibly brought him down at 11.30 am. After medical check up at the general hospital, a case for attempt to suicide was registered against him. He was let off at 2 pm. Suresh alleged that some local CPM leaders were trying to frame him in a sexual harassment case and that’s why he wanted to take the extreme step.
Rudra died while she under treatment at the SAT Hospital on July 10 and since then the family has been knocking every door to get justice. The family’s protest had forced the district administration to exhume Rudra’s body for a re-post mortem examination on July 20. The hospital authorities however maintained that the child had died due to acute malnutrition which had led to multi-organ failure.
