Centre investigating death of 26-yr-old female EY India employee due to 'excessive workload': Minister

The incident sparked widespread outrage on social media after a heart-wrenching letter from the woman’s mother to the head of Ernst & Young India went viral.

Minister of State for Labour Shobha Karandlaje stated that a thorough investigation into claims of an unsafe and exploitative work environment is currently in progress.

"Deeply saddened by the tragic loss of Anna Sebastian Perayil. We are committed to ensuring justice and the Labour Ministry has officially taken up the complaint," Shobha Karandlaje said in a post on X.

The minister was addressing a post by BJP leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar, who described the woman's death as "very sad" and "disturbing at many levels."

Chandrasekhar, a former Union Minister, also called for an investigation into the family’s allegations of an exploitative work environment at Ernst & Young India. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar echoed these concerns, emphasizing that the increasing number of young people dying due to stress warrants serious attention.

"I hope Ernst and Young India will take corrective steps," he tweeted.

Anna Sebastian Perayil, who began working at Ernst & Young (E&Y) in March, passed away on July 20 while receiving treatment at a Pune hospital after complaining of exhaustion.

The incident gained widespread attention earlier this week when a letter written by her mother, Anita Augustine, to E&Y India’s head went viral. In the letter, Augustine expressed concerns over the extreme work pressure her daughter allegedly faced, which she claimed had severely impacted her health, ultimately leading to her death.

She also pointed out that no representatives from E&Y attended her daughter’s funeral and accused her daughter’s managers of being "relentless," with the demanding work hours taking a toll on her well-being.

E&Y India issued a statement, assuring that the company is committed to fostering a healthy workplace environment.

"We place the highest importance on the well-being of all employees and will continue to find ways to improve and provide a healthy workplace for our 100,000 people across EY member firms in India," the statement said.