Doctor's suicide case: Role of principal, dean under scanner

Amritsar, March 11

A day after a woman doctor doing her internship at the SGPC-run Sri Guru Ram Das Institute of Medical Sciences and Research at Vallah died by suicide, the role of principal Dr Manjit Singh Uppal and dean Dr AP Singh has come under the scanner after the family members alleged that they had lodged complaints about casteist slurs by her colleagues and teachers with them, but they failed to take any appropriate action.

In the FIR, Kamlesh Rani, mother of the victim, alleged that she along with her father Tarsem Chand had met the principal and the dean about the alleged harassment being faced by Pamposh, but instead of taking any action, the principal had humiliated them. She alleged they had scolded Pamposh over this due to which she was very disturbed.

The family members today met police officials and demanded an impartial probe into the incident. She said her daughter was not too mentally weak to take the extreme step. She urged the police commissioner to add sections of murder to the case and arrest the accused at the earliest.

Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Abhimanyu Rana said the police were investigating the case from different angles. He said appropriate action would be taken against the guilty. The police were also awaiting the autopsy report of the victim.

Despite repeated attempts, SGRD college authorities did not respond to the calls. Meanwhile, several organisations have come to the support of the family and threatened to hold an agitation at Golden Gate in case the police failed to arrest the suspects.

Dr Pamposh (26) had committed suicide at her hostel situated in the hospital complex here on the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday. The police had booked two professors and four students among 10 persons on the charge of abetment to suicide (Section 306, IPC) and under provisions of the SC & ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

Those named in the complaint are Dr Bir Davinder Singh, Dr Pratibha, head of department of gynaecology, prof Swati, Dr Piyush, Gagandeep Kaur, Prabhnemat, Priyanka, Namisha, Karanbir Singh and Jimmy (steno).