HDFC employee, 45, found dead at office: Police investigate suspicious circumstances

PTC News Desk: In a tragic incident that has sent shockwaves through the corporate community, a 45-year-old employee of HDFC Bank in Lucknow died under mysterious circumstances while at work. According to police reports, Sadaf Fatima, who served as an Additional Deputy Vice President at the bank’s Vibhutikhand branch, collapsed from her chair and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Authorities have initiated an investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death. Assistant Commissioner of Police Radharaman Singh stated, “The panchnama, which is the record of observation of her body, has been completed, and it has been sent for postmortem examination. The cause of death will be determined following the autopsy.”

Reports from Dainik Bhaskar indicate that colleagues of Sadaf Fatima noted she had been experiencing significant work-related stress prior to the incident. This tragedy unfolds amidst a growing national conversation regarding workplace pressures and mental health, particularly following the recent death of an Ernst and Young employee, which was reportedly linked to excessive workload.

In the wake of Sadaf’s death, Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav expressed deep concern, labeling the incident as “extremely worrying.” He suggested that it serves as a stark reflection of the economic and mental strain faced by employees in the current work environment. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Yadav stressed the necessity for companies and government sectors to reevaluate their priorities and improve working conditions.

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“All companies and government departments will have to think seriously in this regard. This is an irreparable loss of the country's human resources. Such sudden deaths bring the working conditions under question,” he articulated.

He further commented on the broader implications of the situation, stating, “The real measure of the progress of any country is not the increase in the figures of services or products but how mentally free, healthy, and happy a person is.”

The incident has drawn parallels to the case of Anna Sebastian, a 26-year-old who worked at EY’s Pune office and died in July. Sebastian’s mother, Anita Augustine, recently wrote to EY India Chairman Rajiv Memani, addressing the issue of the “glorification” of overwork within the firm. Reports indicated that Anna had raised concerns about her workload to her superiors before her untimely death.

As investigations into Sadaf Fatima’s death continue, the case emphasizes the critical need for organisations to foster healthier work environments and prioritize the mental well-being of their employees.

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