Delay in appointment: Youths end suicide threat stir

Thiruvananthapuram: Six youths, who threatened to jump to their death in front of the state secretariate here protesting 'denial' of appointment in reserve police force despite their names figuring in the rank list six years ago, ended their protest on Tuesday after assurance from the government.

Keeping police and fire men on tenterhooks for hours on Monday, a youth climbed atop a huge tree in front of the secretariat while five others went up a five-storey building threatening to jump if their demand for getting their appointment letters was not met by the government.

After the intervention of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and other top officials of the Home Department, the person, atop the tree, came down on Monday itself.

Fire department personnel were present in large number with a cushion platform below the tree to meet any eventuality.

Although the five on the building-roof were told that their demands too would be discussed by the government, the youth continued their protest at the roof top itself saying they were not satisfied with the government's response.

They gave up their threat after the intervention of the CM, DGP, and other senior police officers.

The youths said they had been denied appointments even six years after the rank-list for the India Reserve Battalion (IRB) Thunderbolt was published.

The rank list, published by the state Public Service Commission, was due to expire soon.

The authorities assured the agitating youths that necessary steps would be taken to solve the issue.

The rank-holders had been on an agitation path for some time and conducting a hunger strike in front of the secretariate for the past few days.