Bangalore, Aug. 26: A 24-year-old executive hanged herself at home after her complaints of sexual harassment against her boss fell on deaf ears, police said.

Shailaja Praveen, a team leader in the retail and corporate section of ING Vysya Financial Services, had accused its Karnataka region head, Bharath S, of sending her lewd text messages and invites to dinners and parties.

When she complained to the HR manager of the firm — an ING Vysya Bank company — she was advised to quit, a police officer said.

The police said Shailaja had also spoken to her immediate boss Prashanth C, and then complained to the company’s national head, Kamal Pasha, on August 4 and again a week later. Both gave her assurances but did not act, her colleagues have told officers.

The police today questioned Bharath and Prashanth, a sales manager, but let them go.

A case of abetment to suicide has been filed against Bharath on a complaint from Shailaja’s father Satyanarayana. “Although we have not found a suicide note, we are inquiring,” an officer said.

Shailaja, whose parents live in Mysore, had been staying with her uncle in Bangalore after filing for divorce from her husband of four years. She hanged herself in her room on Friday night.

Her troubles had begun in the second week of July when Bharath allegedly started sending her lewd SMS texts and invites.

Disappointed at her office’s inaction, she had approached the state women’s commission in the first week of August and was advised to file a written complaint.

Commission chairperson Premila Nesargi said Shailaja had approached the body on August 8.

“Although we suggested she lodge a complaint against her chief in writing, she decided to approach the seniors at the company first. She did not turn up after that. It’s only yesterday that we heard she had committed suicide.”

On Friday, Shailaja performed the rituals Varamahalakshmi Puja and spoke to her mother over the phone. She later sent an SMS to Prashanth saying she would be ending her life.

Prashanth rushed to her home but it was too late. A nearby nursing home declared her dead on arrival.

Since the women’s commission has no written complaint, it has left the matter to be investigated by the police.

An ING Vysya statement said Shailaja had not filed a written complaint.

“The bank has well-established policies and procedures against harassment and there are multiple formal channels open to employees to represent their grievances,” the company said.

“We have verified from our internal records and believe the speculation about harassment is unwanted as there has been no written complaint.”

“Shailaja’s parents are very disturbed…. They are performing the last rites of their daughter at Srirangapatna,” an agency report quoted a relative as saying.

“Nothing can be more devastating for a father than being asked to perform the last rites of his daughter.”