Jacintha blames DJs for death in note left behind

December 16, 2012

Jacintha_Saldanha
London, December 16: The Mangalore-origin nurse, who was found dead after a hoax call to a UK hospital treating Prince William's pregnant wife Kate, left a note blaming the two Australian DJs behind the prank for her tragic death.

In one of the three apparent suicide notes left by 46-year-old Jacintha Saldanha, the nurse expressed her deep anger at the Australian radio DJs Mel Greig and Michael Christian and blamed them for her death, Daily Mail reported today, quoting sources close to her family.

Jacintha, a mum-of-two, was found hanging with a scarf at her staff accommodation at the King Edward VII's Hospital in London, where 30-year-old Kate was being treated for severe morning sickness.

Within an hour of the hoax call, one of the DJs telephoned the hospital back and spoke to Jacintha again, telling her they had played a prank which they were about to broadcast, the report said.

The revelation is believed to have left Jacintha, who had no experience of dealing with the media, feeling confused and agitated, it said.

The DJs, who are believed to be at safe addresses following death threats, have apologised for the tragic repercussions of their prank.

The paper reported that in another note, Jacintha had criticised "aspects of the hospital staff," and singled out two individuals for blame.

Although the hospital has insisted that no senior member of staff blamed Jacintha for falling victim to the prank and provided her with support, it is understood she may have been reprimanded by colleagues by email, it said.

The hospital has declined to comment on the notes, saying senior staff have not seen copies. It is believed the original notes are now in the possession of Scotland Yard, which has produced transcripts for the family.

Sources close to the family said their relationship with the hospital was strained as senior managers had not provided "facts" they requested.

Another friend of the family was quoted as saying that Jacintha may have tried to commit suicide more than once in the 72 hours between the prank and the moment her body with injury marks on one of her wrists was discovered by a colleague.

"She may have tried to kill herself more than once – that's why there are three notes," the friend told the paper.

In her final letter, Jacintha is believed to have asked to be buried in her home village of Shirwa, near Mangalore.

Relatives of Jacintha have spoken of their utter despair at her death and hit out at false internet speculation over the state of her marriage.

50-year-old Mabel, Jacintha's eldest sister, told the daily from Mangalore that although her sister used to stay in the nurses' accommodation while on duty at the King Edward VII's Hospital in Marylebone, she always kept in close touch with her husband and two teenage children -- a son and a daughter -- at home in Bristol.

"She would keep busy with her work, but she only stayed there for convenience and she called them all the time," Mabel said.

Mabel said the family had been so terrified of breaking the news to their frail 70-year-old mother Carmine, who has a heart condition, that they decided to tell her only that Jacintha had been taken ill and had then died peacefully.

"It was very difficult to break the news. She couldn't take it. She was in shock and was just staring at us and then she started crying. Even today she is crying continuously."

Mabel said their younger sister, 44-year-old Gladys, a beautician, was also "totally broken" by the news.

Jacintha stood by Gladys after her husband died and even agreed to adopt her daughter Lisha, now 14, and brought her up as her own to ease the burden on her sister, who was financially weak.


Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
coastaldigest.com news network
December 2,2025

karkala.jpg

Udupi, Dec 2: A wave of regional pride is sweeping through Udupi district as Shagun S Verma Hegde, a talented Class 9 student from Christ King English Medium High School, Karkala, has been named the captain of the Indian National Team for the Under-15 Girls’ Volleyball Championship.

Shagun holds the unique distinction of being the sole player from Karnataka selected to represent the country in the prestigious international tournament. The championship, organized by the School Games Federation, is scheduled to take place in Shangluo, China, from December 3 to 13, where Shagun will lead the national squad.

A Remarkable Journey to the Top

Shagun’s selection is a testament to her dedication and exceptional skill on the court. Her journey included several rigorous rounds of selection:

•    She was the only player from Udupi district to qualify for the state-level selection camp.

•    Out of eight players from Karnataka who advanced to the national selection camp in Pune, Maharashtra, Shagun was the only one to secure a place in the final national squad.

•    The national camp saw participation from approximately 200 players, which was shortlisted to 23. Shagun not only made the final cut but was also ranked as the second-best player overall, solidifying her leadership role.

Shagun, who is the daughter of Sandesh Verma and Shruthiraj of Kallotte, Karkala, has trained under experienced coaches Santosh D’Souza, Jeevan D’Silva, Jairaj Poojary, and Ramesh. Her selection as the team captain has brought profound honour to her family, school, the Udupi district, and the entire state of Karnataka.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
December 7,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 7: A 34-year-old fruit and vegetable trader in Mangaluru has reportedly lost ₹33.1 lakh after falling victim to an online investment scam run through a fake mobile app.

Police said the scam began in September, when the victim received a link on Facebook. Clicking it connected him to a WhatsApp number, where an unidentified person introduced a high-return investment scheme and instructed him to download an app.

To build trust, the fraudster asked him to invest ₹30,000 on September 24. The trader soon received ₹34,000 as “profit,” convincing him the scheme was genuine. Over the next two months, he transferred money in multiple instalments via Google Pay and IMPS to different scanner codes and bank accounts shared by the scammers. Between September 24 and December 3, he ended up sending a total of ₹33.1 lakh.

When he later requested a refund of his investment and promised returns, the scammers demanded additional payments, claiming he needed to pay a “service tax” first. Even after he paid a small amount, no money was returned, and the scammers continued pressuring him for more.

A case has been registered at the CEN Crime Police Station.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
December 2,2025

Puttur: The long-cherished dream of a government medical college in Puttur has moved a decisive step closer to reality, with the Karnataka State Finance Department granting its official approval for the construction of a new 300-bed hospital.

Puttur MLA Ashok Kumar Rai announced the crucial development to reporters on Monday, confirming that the official communication from the finance department was issued on November 27. This 300-bed facility is intended to be the cornerstone for the establishment of the government medical college, a project announced in the state budget.

Fast-Track Implementation

The MLA outlined an aggressive timeline for the project:

•    A Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the hospital is expected to be ready within 45 days.

•    The tender process for the construction will be completed within two months.

Following the completion of the tender process, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is scheduled to lay the foundation stone for the project.

"Setting up a medical college in Puttur is a historical decision by the Congress government in Karnataka," Rai stated. The project has an estimated budget allocation of Rs 1,000 crore for the medical college.

Focus on Medical Education Department

The MLA highlighted a key strategic move: requesting the government to implement the hospital construction through the Medical Education Department instead of the Health and Family Welfare Department. This is intended to streamline the entire process of establishing the full medical college, ensuring the facilities—including labs, operation theatres, and other necessary infrastructure—adhere to the strict guidelines set by the Medical Council of India (MCI). The proposed site for the project is in Bannur.

Rai also took the opportunity to address political criticism, stating that the government has fulfilled its promise despite "apprehensions" and "mocking and criticising" from opposition parties who had failed to take similar initiatives when they were in power. "Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has kept his word," he added.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.