Indian scientist working on fighter jet project dies by suicide in Bengaluru; family alleges work stress

Dubai: A 47-year-old senior scientist associated with India’s Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mk2 programme has died by suicide in Bengaluru, with his family alleging that prolonged workplace pressure and mental stress contributed to his death, NDTV reported.

Sharad Katiyar, a scientist in the programming department of the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), died on October 21 after jumping from a residential building in Seegehalli, Bengaluru.

According to police, Katiyar sustained critical injuries and was rushed to a private hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival.

His family has alleged that he had been experiencing severe work-related stress for more than a month and that the pressure had affected his mental health.

In their statement to police, family members claimed that Katiyar had been struggling with sustained professional pressure despite seeking medical assistance.

They said he had consulted specialists at a private hospital and had been diagnosed with a depressive episode.

On October 21, Katiyar also visited the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) for a psychiatric consultation and was prescribed medication, according to the report.

The family alleged that the workplace pressure continued despite his treatment.

Police have registered an Unnatural Death Report (UDR) under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023.

Investigators inspected the scene on October 22 and recorded statements from Katiyar’s wife and parents as part of the inquiry.

The Aeronautical Development Agency, however, said it had not received any information suggesting that Katiyar was facing excessive workplace pressure.

Krishna Rajendra, ADA’s Director of Administration and Human Resources, said neither the management nor colleagues he had spoken to were aware of such concerns.

“We were not aware of any such issue. I spoke to a few of his colleagues, and they also said they were not aware,” Rajendra said.

He added that the organisation had conducted several mental stress management programmes over the past year.

Rajendra cautioned against attributing Katiyar’s death solely to workplace pressure, saying other health-related factors might also have been involved.

He acknowledged that employees faced pressure to meet project deadlines but maintained that they were not expected to work excessively long hours.

According to him, employees generally worked from around 8.30am to 6pm, and Katiyar had been attending the office regularly.

Rajendra also said he had checked whether Katiyar had submitted any medical reimbursement claims but found none in the records reviewed.

Describing the death as deeply unfortunate, he said senior officials remained accessible to employees experiencing difficulties.

Katiyar was associated with the LCA Mk2 programme, an important project in India’s indigenous fighter aircraft development efforts.

Police are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding his death, including the family’s allegations of work-related stress.

Authorities have not established whether workplace conditions contributed to the incident.