Kerala: Indian Reserve Battalion rank-holders threaten suicide

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: For the second time in less than a year, a group of seven PSC rank holders climbed up a tree and building near the Secretariat and threatened to commit suicide on Monday demanding their posting orders. While revenue officials and police managed to bring down two youths, five others are still staying atop a building opposite the Secretariat, at the time of going to press.

The youth were in the rank list for selection to Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) Thunder Bolt commandos. Of the 999 people who cleared the tests only 442 were posted. Some of the aggrieved rank holders climbed up the tree and building at around 11 am and fire force officials and police tried to reason with them in vain. Additional District Magistrate reached the spot and state police chief Loknath Behera also called them and tried to reason with them.

Finally Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijyayan called the agitators on phone and asked them to meet the Home Secretary. After this, two of the protesters on the tree came down and they were given an oral promise by the Home Secretary that they would be posted. However, she declined to give this promise in writing and therefore, five agitators continued to stay atop the building. The group had once threatened suicide in a similar fashion in November last year.