‘Please take care of my children… forgive me’: UP BLO in video before suicide

In the 2-minute-40 second video clip that surfaced online after his death, Sarvesh is seen sobbing as he says, “Mummy… mere family, mere bachon ka khayal rakhna… meri choti choti chaar ladkiyan hai… Maaf karna. (Mummy, please take care of my children… I have four young girls… Please forgive me).”

“Ismey kisi ka koi dosh nahi hai… Mere parivar ko kuch nahi kehna… me iss kaam ko sahi tarike se nahi samajh paya (No one is to blame for this… Don’t say anything to my family… I wasn’t able to understand this work properly).”

He also apologises to Babli, his wife.

Speaking to The Indian Express over the phone, Babli alleged, “This video further confirms that my husband was under immense pressure because of the SIR work, and it was this stress that pushed him to take the extreme step. We have no idea when he recorded the clip that is now circulating on social media. We found it while checking his phone. He never allowed anyone to use his phone, as he handled all his official work on it.”

She added that the family has not lodged a complaint with the police or the administration regarding the incident. “The administration offered me a Class IV job, but I refused. I am well educated, and my husband was a headmaster — why should I be given a Class IV post?” Babli said.

A homemaker, she said she has completed her post-graduation and has a B.Ed degree.

Police had earlier said they recovered a note from the house, purportedly written by Sarvesh, in which he stated that he was under stress for “not being able to meet SIR-related targets” on time due to lack of proper guidance.

“He felt extremely troubled. He mentioned that his mental health was deteriorating and that two of his four daughters were unwell, adding to his distress,” a police officer said, quoting from the purported suicide note. He did not hold anyone responsible for his death, the officer said.

According to his family, Sarvesh, who hailed from Moradabad, joined the government service in 2010. About eight years ago, he was transferred to Moradabad from Rampur, and had been posted there ever since.

He lived with his wife, his four daughters — the eldest 11 years old and the youngest a year and six months — and his 65-year-old mother, Somwati Devi. Sarvesh’s father, Rajendra Singh, passed away several years ago. His younger brother, Pramod Kumar, is employed at a private firm in Uttarakhand.

“Everyone who has been visiting the house is assuring us that they will do something for Sarvesh’s family, especially for his four daughters,” said Pramod. “But no one has actually come forward with any concrete help.”

He added that Sarvesh’s death was the greatest loss their family had ever suffered.

Somwati said, “This election work has taken my son’s life. But whatever has happened, we will still try to rebuild our lives.”

Sarvesh’s nephew, Sandeep Kumar, said that although the family has not yet registered an FIR, the circumstances of the case are well known to the authorities and to everyone concerned.

Asked about the video circulating on social media, Additional Superintendent of Police, Kunwar Akash Singh, said the matter has come to their notice and an inquiry will be conducted.

Moradabad District Magistrate Anuj Singh, in a video statement earlier, said that Sarvesh had been carrying out his responsibilities “effectively”, and had already completed digitisation of nearly 67% of the required SIR enumeration forms and was close to finishing the remaining work.