Bank of Baroda Employee Commits Suicide: Allegations of Work Pressure Resurface

A sombre incident unfolded as Kona Srini Babu, a 34-year-old Bank of Baroda employee, tragically ended his life in the morning hours of November 20 in Vijayawada region of Andhra Pradesh. Colleagues received the distressing news via a management email, sparking outrage and sorrow among Public Sector Bank employees who point to work pressure as a potential cause.

Pic: Email Screenshot on Suicide of Bank Employee
Pic Credit: AIBOC Jharkhand

Although the official email doesn’t mention the reason of death, speculations making rounds among bank employees are that of work pressure.

Similar instances of bankers ending life have come to the fore in the recent past. On November 10, General Manager of Karnataka Bank, K.A Vadhiraj committed suicide allegedly due to work pressure and harassment from the top management. 

In April 2023, an AGM of Central Bank of India, Rajesh Kumar committed suicide in Mumbai alleging harassment by the top management. 

Outrage on Social Media
Social media, particularly on platform X, became a sounding board for grief and concern over the loss of a fellow banker.

The Jharkhand unit of the All India Bank Officers Confederation (AIBOC) tweeted, “Bank of Baroda employee in Andhra Pradesh has committed suicide due to work pressure of the bank. The condition in Bank of Baroda is appalling. We request the Central government to take immediate action on the top management of the bank.”

Demanding swift action and justice for the deceased banker, another banker highlighted the toll of work pressure in an environment where new recruitments are scarce. He tweeted, “With no new recruitment in banks, the present workforce is dying under work pressure. It has no end.”

Nightmare of Work Pressure
This tragic incident adds to a disturbing trend of bankers resigning due to work-related stress, citing staff shortages and an imbalance in work-life.

In a recent episode, Bank of Baroda employees faced persistent target pressures, compelled to sell India First Life Insurance. Bank unions and associations raised concerns, branding it a deviation from core banking services.

On November 3, an official from the Central Bank of India (CBI) in Bihar resigned, attributing the decision to a lack of staff strength, a recurring factor intensifying work pressure in Public Sector Banks (PSBs).

Even India’s largest public sector bank, the State Bank of India, has not been immune to the scourge of work pressure. Officials reported violations of work-life balance and undue interference from higher management beyond regular working hours.

A recent report exposed the usage of WhatsApp for official communication that distressed officials affecting the work life balance.

Banks in Staff Shortage
Public Sector Banks grapple with a severe staff shortage, raising questions about the government’s intent.

A recent RBI Handbook report for the year 2022-23 exposed a concerning trend: the rising employee count in private sector banks is poised to surpass that of PSBs.

Banking unions have been alleging that the staff shortage is a strategic move by the Indian government to pave the way for the privatisation of PSBs.

Banking unions have been alleging that the staff shortage is a strategic move by the Indian government to pave the way for the privatisation of PSBs.

The distressing incidents of bankers taking their lives or resigning due to work pressure spotlight an institutional crisis that demands urgent attention and rectification from the Union government and the Ministry of Finance.