Bangalore: Director General of Administrative Training Institute (ATI) Rashmi V, an IAS officer, was assaulted allegedly by a group of former contract employees of an institute on Wednesday October 15.

The assault took place on the institute premises on Lalitha Mahal Road after the body of the ATI’s mess manager Venkatesh (53) found earlier in the day and was brought back after post-mortem.

Though the police described the death of Venkatesh as suicide, the protesters comprising contract employees, who had been removed from service earlier this month, accused Rashmi of harassing the deceased that led to his death.

Venkatesh, who stayed in the ATI’s residential quarters, was found dead in the water tank on the institute premises earlier.

Learning the assault, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) AN Rajanna said the police rushed to the spot on receiving information and escorted the lady IAS officer to safety.