Mumbai, October 12: The suicide spree in Mumbai's Mantralaya continued on Friday, with a government employee consuming poison in a bid to end his life. The person, identified as Dilip Sonwane, was rushed to the hospital after he attempted to kill himself.

More than 15 suicide attempts have been reported in Mantralaya since January this year. The secretariat was first chosen as the place to end their lives by farmers from Dhule district who were aggrieved with the inadequate government compensation after their crops were damaged by the hailstorm. MNS Workers Vandalise Roads Outside Mantralaya in Protest.

Subsequently, several disgruntled protesters attempted to jump off the top floors of Mantralaya as a mark of protest against the administration.

To tackle the menace, the government installed nets since February to detest protesters from jumping to end their lives. A vigil was also kept by officials to prevent anyone from consuming poison or setting themselves ablaze.

In July, 420 CCTV cameras were also installed in the Mantralaya to keep a tab on suspicious activities at the administrative quarters. The government said the prime aim of the Rs 120 crore project is to prevent people from committing suicides in the building.

Former Chief Minister and Congress leader Prithviraj Chouhan said the government should tackle the root cause of distress, rather than installing nets at the Mantralaya.

"Instead of doing this, the government should give jobs to educated unemployed and a good price for farm produce," he said, adding that the Ministers and the bureaucrats should be sensitive to the grievances of the people.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 12, 2018 05:26 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).