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IFS officer battling depression ends life by jumping from building in Delhi's Chanakyapuri


    New Delhi, Mar 7 (PTI) A 2011 batch Indian Foreign Services officer ended his life by jumping from the fourth floor of a building in the Chanakyapuri area here on Friday and no foul play is suspected, a police officer said.
    According to the police, the officer was a director at the Overseas Employments and Protectorate General of Emigrants in the Ministry of External Affairs.
    Sources said the officer was undergoing treatment for depression, and his 70-year-old mother was staying with him on the first floor of the MEA Residential Complex in the Chanakyapuri area.
    "The deceased has been identified as Jitendra Rawat (42). He was staying on the first floor but went to the fourth floor of the building and jumped. We have not recovered any suicide note from the spot," the officer said.
    The Ministry of External Affairs said one of its officers, who was working at its headquarters in Delhi, "passed away" on Friday morning but did not reveal his name. The ministry said it was providing all possible assistance to the deceased's family and is in touch with the Delhi Police.
    Police received a PCR call about the incident at 6.20 am from the security guard of the residential complex. The officer was taken to a hospital, where he was declared dead.
    "His wife and children are staying in Dehradun. They have been informed about the incident and the family members are on their way to Delhi," said the source, adding that the family were living in Dehradun because his children were studying there.
    "The officer had no family dispute and had been battling depression since he came back from his posting in Belgium 10 months ago. Rawat has been residing in Delhi for 10 months," a police source said.
    Besides Belgium, the officer also had a posting in Myanmar.
    A witness said that he was outside the complex when he heard a noise. "We rushed inside the building and saw the officer's body lying on the ground," he said.
    The MEA said, "An officer of the Ministry of External Affairs passed away on the morning of March 7 in New Delhi."
    "The ministry stands with the family in this hour of grief and difficulty. Further details are not being released bearing in mind the need to respect the family's privacy in this time of bereavement," the MEA added.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)