A migrant labourer from Odisha killed himself at his room inside the factory where he was working at in Coimbatore district on Monday. The labourers who came to the factory on Monday morning were shocked to find him dead and immediately informed the Singanallur police. 

According to the police, the migrant labourer, Ashok Pothira (32) from Baleswar district of Odisha, was working at Sai Corporation Industrial company, a trailer manufacturing unit in Singanallur of Coimbatore district.

According to the station report accessed by TNM, Ashok Pothira was staying alone in the room inside the company, when he took this extreme step. Ashok Pothira had been staying at the company without any earnings for the past two months. As the state government provided partial relaxation for industries to begin operation, Pothira, along with two others, started working in the factory.

Police personnel in Singanallur police station said, “Pothira has been working for the company for the past six-seven years and he has never gone back to visit his family members in these years. He was working here only sent the money back home. However, he could not send the money for the past two months, since the company was not operating and he was not being paid.”

The police officials have started an investigation and are probing various angles —  of financial crunch, family problems and of being unable to return home due to the lockdown.

“The man’s co-workers also said that he used to fight with his family members over phone calls. On Sunday, Ashok was also in an inebriated state before he took this extreme step,” he said.    

The Singanallur police have sent the body for post-mortem and the body will be handed over to his brother on Wednesday.

Ashok Pothira is survived by his wife and two sons. The police inspector said, “On Wednesday, his brother is coming from Bengaluru and we will hand over the body to him. His brother also works in the Bengaluru branch of the same company. We will also interrogate his brother.”

Based on the complaint from Sai Corporation Industrial company, a case has been registered under Section 174 (unnatural death) of the CrPC. Further investigations are on.