Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has raised the cases of "young people dying due to stress", referring to the death of a 26-year-old Ernst & Young employee in Pune, allegedly because of extreme work pressure.

India is investigating the work environment at Big Four accounting firm EY, the labour minister said on Thursday, after the death of a 26-year-old associate worker was blamed on stress by her mother who demanded accountability.

The Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje confirmed that the investigation is underway, following allegations of an unsafe and exploitative work environment.

Following the tragic demise of 26-year-old Chartered Accountant (CA), Anna Sebastian Perayil, at Ernst and Young (EY) in Pune, allegedly due to excessive workload, the accountancy firm has issued a statement highlighting its "commitment to employee well-being.

A 26-year-old EY Pune employee, Anna Sebastian Perayil, died from work-related stress just four months after joining. Her mother wrote to EY's India head, criticizing corporate culture and calling for better mental health protections for employees.