Former Delhi chief secretary Rakesh Mehta dies by suicide

NEW DELHI: Former Delhi chief secretary and senior IAS officer Rakesh Mehta (74) was found hanging at his flat in Noida. He took the extreme step when his family had gone to Dehradun. Police said the suicide note recovered from his house has cited health and mental issues for the act.

Mehta, a 1975 batch officer, had served as the chief secretary under former chief minister Sheila Dikshit. He became the chief secretary of Delhi in 2007 and served for over three years. He had served many posts including Delhi state election commissioner and commissioner of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi. The police have registered a case and an investigation has started.

(Suicide is not a solution to anything. Seek help from mental health professionals. Try to survive and overcome the situation. Helpline numbers: 1056, 0471-2552056.)