No livelihood during lockdown causes 3 auto drivers to end life in one month

Chennai

“Autorickshaws were not allowed to ply for over two months and their livelihood was badly hit. All three autorickshaw drivers who killed themselves in the past one month were not able to meet the basic needs of their family members, including food and medicine,” said V Kumar, president of the Tamil Nadu Autorickshaw Workers’ Union.

On Thursday, autorickshaw driver Mohan and his wife Vijaya in Dindigul district ended their lives, unable to repay the debts without adequate earning. Another driver Subramanian from Pudukottai killed himself on June 26, leaving a suicide note describing his inability to even purchase medicine for his wife. Similarly, driver Raghupathy from Kumbakonam ended his life on June 8 leaving a note saying he’s frustrated over his failure to make ends meet.

Demanding a solatium of Rs 10 lakh each to the family of three drivers, Kumar said: “The government should also provide financial assistance of Rs 15,000 to all the autorickshaw drivers. Let there be no more suicides of auto drivers. Many are even forced to sell vehicles to meet expenses.”

S Durai, an autorickshaw driver for over two decades, said since April, he has started selling vegetables to meet his family’s daily expenses. “I used to earn Rs 800 to Rs 1,000 daily before lockdown. Now I am earning Rs 400 to Rs 500 selling vegetables. My friends who are still driving autorickshaws complain that they are not even getting two to three rides a day,” he said.