JAISALMER: A 16-year contract employee of the Jaisalmer Central Cooperative Bank died on Thursday, days after his services were terminated, with his family alleging that the job loss pushed him into severe distress.Following his death, family members and local residents carried his body to the bank premises and staged a protest, accusing the management of being responsible.The deceased, Rajesh Meghwal, had worked as an assistant employee on a contractual basis at the bank for 16 years. According to his family, he was among 11 contractual workers whose services were discontinued through an order issued on July 27.Rajesh’s relative, Om Prakash, said the family’s livelihood depended on his job. He claimed that Rajesh visited the bank on July 28 and requested officials to reconsider the termination, but his plea was allegedly not accepted.The family alleged that after losing his job, Rajesh stopped eating and became mentally distressed. As his condition worsened, he was admitted to Jawahir Hospital on July 29 and later referred to Jodhpur for further treatment, where he died on Thursday.The family said the death came on the same day they were observing the 12th-day ritual of Rajesh’s grandmother, who had died 12 days earlier.After his death, family members and supporters brought his body to the Central Cooperative Bank and protested against the management and its Managing Director. They alleged that experienced contractual employees were removed unfairly while some others were retained through favouritism.The protesters demanded action against those they held responsible and continued their sit-in protest outside the mortuary. Police reached the spot and shifted the body to the mortuary to maintain order.The bank administration, however, denied responsibility and said the workers were not direct employees but were hired through a placement agency. It said their services ended after the agreement with the agency expired and that the workers were returned to the agency.The incident has raised concerns over job security and the welfare of long-serving contractual employees.
