Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Apr 12: Sportsperson, Shilpa Nagaraj (41), who was going through depression due to unemployment caused by coronavirus infection, chose to end her life. She hanged herself at her residence in Jayanagar here.

The fact that she had committed suicide came into the open on Saturday. Shilpa had won several awards and medals in the national and international diving events. Shilpa, it is learnt, during her conversation with her husband who was away on work, told him that she was doing fine. But later that night she killed herself.

Shilpa's brother, Sharat Balaraj, stated that in a death note she left behind, Shilpa said she was frustrated at being unemployed for a year. She had recently contacted organizers of summer camps for swimmers and was hoping to get some work. But due to the sudden spike in coronavirus cases in the state, the government has imposed restrictions on swimming pools. As she thought her chances of getting an opportunity to provide training are bleak, was feeling unhappy, it is learnt.

Sharat said that his mother had passed away two months back, which had left the family devastated. He said that Shilpa and her husband were going through a lean period because of unemployment, but had never told others in the family about their financial problems.

Shilpa, who had been given Ekalavya award in recognition of her contribution to the field of swimming, was a swimming trainer in a private school but had lost job due to coronavirus pandemic. Her husband was a dance teacher.