GreyMatter

Something Amiss

Today’s "Times of India" carries two disturbing stories on its front page, both about work-related stress…

Airport witnessed a 7-hour hostage drama :

 

There was high drama at Sahar international air terminal on Saturday evening when Raj Namdeo, a constable of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) fatally shot his superior, dy. commandant A.R. Karanjkar, and took six of his colleagues as hostage… The seven-hour hostage drama ended in the early hours of Sunday with him surrendering, and the hostages being rescued.

 

Mumbai cop guns down family and himself :

 

An assistant inspector of police shot dead his wife and son before committing suicide at his flat in Chembur in north-east Mumbai on Sunday. In a suicide note addressed to his parents, Sawant said he was depressed since his stomach ailment was not showing any signs of improvement and that he was fed up with his job in the police department, which he had joined in 1988.

 

The second story offers an insight into possible causes (common to both situations, I am told by friends who know a little bit of army life in India) :

 

The incident has sent shockwaves through the city police. Several officers complained that there was no proper grievance redressal machinery in the police. They added that policemen were required to put in at least 12 hours of work daily and there was little appreciation of their work by their superiors. Besides, large-scale corruption in matters of postings and transfers has completely vitiated the atmosphere in the department.

 

Something is seriously amiss.

We were meant to work for a living, not a life. Yet, each passing day, we learn about another incident of how our "work" has eaten into the fabric of our lives, causing acidity, hypertension, stress, and now.. death!

Something is seriously amiss…