A 40-year-old librarian, Bhagyavati V. Aggimath, in Karnataka's Kalaburagi district has died by suicide allegedly due to months of unpaid salary. The incident has sparked outrage and a political confrontation in the state.
Bhagyavati, who worked at the government-run Arivu Centre in Mulakheda village for the past six years, was found dead in the library on Monday. A suicide note revealed that she was driven to the extreme step due to severe financial distress caused by not receiving her salary for the last three months. Some reports indicate the salary was unpaid for nearly six months. She stated in the note that she was depressed because she could not meet her family's monetary needs.
Bhagyavati's family reported that she had been struggling to manage household expenses and pay her children's school fees. Despite repeated requests to authorities to release her pending salary, she received no assistance. The family holds the library department responsible for her death and is demanding compensation and a government job for one of her family members to support her two children.
Police have registered a case and begun investigating the circumstances surrounding her death. According to a police official, a death note was found, and its veracity is being verified. The official added that the family initially hesitated to file a complaint but were later persuaded. Bhagyavati's husband mentioned she was depressed over the non-payment of salary.
Colleagues of Bhagyavati stated that the delay in salaries affected several employees. They said that a recent change in the PDO (Panchayat Development Officer) and some login issues had delayed payments, but the salaries were expected to be cleared in a day or two.
The incident has drawn strong criticism from the opposition BJP, which has accused the Congress government of negligence and insensitivity. B.Y. Vijayendra, the BJP state president, said the incident "exposes the bankruptcy and heartless nature of the Congress government in Karnataka". He demanded immediate compensation for the family and a government job for one of her dependents, stating that the government's apathy had pushed her to take her own life.
Several other instances of suicides due to unpaid salaries and financial distress have been reported in Karnataka. In October 2025, a waterman in Chamarajanagar committed suicide due to non-payment of salary for 27 months. In 2018, a civic worker in Bengaluru died by suicide after not being paid for six months.
