Late night online work and severe work stress; missing since Saturday morning; Education Department official found dead in river 

VAIKOM: An education department official, who was missing, was found dead in the tributary of the Muvattupuzha River. The deceased has been identified as Shyamkumar (52), a native of Kulasekharamangalam, a senior superintendent who holds the additional charge of AEO at the Vaikom office. Relatives said Shyamkumar was mentally disturbed due to work pressure.

Shyamkumar, who was doing office work online from home till 10.30 pm on Friday, went missing around 5 am. The relatives then lodged a complaint with the Vaikom police. During the course of the investigation, he was found dead in the river near the under-construction Akkarapadam bridge, two kilometres away from his house, at 4.45 pm yesterday.

Shyamkumar was given the additional charge of AEO two months ago. Relatives said Shyamkumar was under mental stress as he could not carry on the two jobs together. Shyamkumar was upset that he could not complete the work with accuracy. He was also upset that when the new appointment list of AEOs came out, a replacement was not appointed in Vaikom. Relatives and friends said Shyamkumar was thinking about taking VRS. According to his colleagues, Shyamkumar was an efficient officer.

The body is kept in the mortuary of Vaikom Taluk Hospital. The body will be handed over to relatives after post-mortem.
Wife: Deepa (KSEB Senior Superintendent).
Children: Jyothika, Jebin and Jayanth (7th standard students of TGM Vidyaniketan School, Maravanthuruthu).
Father: K Bahuleyan (Retd. VEO, former member of Vaikom Block Panchayat).
Mother: Sabita (retd. teacher).