Scientist Dies By Suicide In Bengaluru, Family Alleges Work-Linked Stress

A 47-year-old senior scientist with the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) died by suicide last week after jumping from a residential building in Seegehalli, Bengaluru. His family has alleged that sustained work-related stress and mental pressure may have contributed to his death.

Sharad Katiyar served as a scientist in the programming department of the ADA in Bengaluru and was associated with the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mk2 programme. He lived with his family on the fourth floor of a residential complex in Seegehalli.

According to the family's statement to the police, Katiyar had been experiencing severe work-related stress for more than a month. They alleged that the prolonged pressure had affected his mental health and that he had been consulting specialists at a private hospital, where he was diagnosed with a depressive episode. The family further claimed that the workplace pressure continued despite his seeking medical assistance.

On October 21, Katiyar visited the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) for a psychiatric consultation and was prescribed medication.

READ | How Bengaluru's Grease Hunters Are Turning Waste Cooking Oil Into Jet Fuel

Police said the incident occurred between 7.30 pm and 8.00 pm, when Katiyar reportedly went to the stairwell landing between the fourth and fifth floors of the apartment building and jumped through a window. He sustained critical injuries and was rushed by family members and residents to a private hospital in K.S. Halli, where he was declared dead on arrival.

Based on the family's complaint, police registered an Unnatural Death Report (UDR) under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023.

Investigators inspected the scene on October 22 and completed the inquest at the hospital mortuary. Statements have also been recorded from Katiyar's wife and his parents, Suresh Chandra Katiyar and Sudha Katiyar. The police investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death, including the family's allegations of workplace stress, is ongoing.

ADA Denies Awareness of Alleged Excessive Work Pressure

Krishna Rajendra, Director of Administration and Human Resources at the ADA, said Katiyar was working in the LCA Mk2 programme office and that the organisation had not been informed of any such difficulties.

"We were not aware of any such issue. I spoke to a few of his colleagues, and they also said they were not aware," Rajendra said, adding that the agency had organised several programmes on mental stress management over the past year.

He said he did not believe work pressure alone could be conclusively identified as the reason for Katiyar's death, suggesting that health-related factors might also have played a role. However, he acknowledged that work pressure was part of meeting project deadlines and said this did not mean employees were expected to work excessively long hours.

READ | Bengaluru Man Shares Clever 'Rs 3 Lakh' Hack To Beat City's Notorious Traffic: 'Highly Recommend'

According to Rajendra, employees generally arrived at the office around 8.30 am and left by 6.00 pm. He also said Katiyar had been attending the office regularly.

Rajendra added that he had checked whether Katiyar had sought reimbursement for medical consultations, noting that the agency provided reimbursement for outpatient treatment as well, but found no such claim in the records he reviewed.

Describing the incident as deeply unfortunate, Rajendra said the doors of the ADA Director and the Director of Administration remained open to employees facing difficulties.

The police investigation is continuing, and the family's allegations regarding work-related stress have yet to be independently established.

Helplines
Vandrevala Foundation for Mental Health	9999666555 or help@vandrevalafoundation.com
TISS iCall	022-25521111 (Monday-Saturday: 8 am to 10 pm)
(If you need support or know someone who does, please reach out to your nearest mental health specialist.)