Contractor Drinks Poison in Front of PWD Office in Belgaum, Alleging Corruption

Belagavi : A contractor attempted to drink poison in front of the executive engineer of the Public works department (PWD) office in Belgagavi on Wednesday, alleging corruption and harassment by the officials.

The contractor, Nagappa Bangi, of Ganikoppa village, said that he had completed the work on the road from Halaga village to Tigadi village in 2022 at a cost of Rs. 6 lakh 50 thousand, but the department had not paid the bill. He accused AEE Ramesh Hegde and EE Basavaraj Halagi of delaying the bill and demanding a bribe.

Bangi said that he had been running from pillar to post for the past one year to get his bill cleared, but the officials had refused to help him. He said that he was desperate and had no other option but to drink poison. Bangi's suicide attempt has sparked outrage among contractors in the district, who allege that they are being harassed by the PWD officials. They say that the officials are demanding bribes to clear bills and are delaying payments for months on end.

The officials who present on spot snatched the pesticide bottle from contractor and shifted him to hospital.