Maharashtra doctor ends life, cop accused of rape suspended

A woman doctor working at a government hospital in Maharashtra’s Satara district has died by suicide. In a note written on her palm, she accused a sub-inspector of rape and mental harassment, besides naming a techie, the police said on Friday.

The 28-year-old doctor, who hailed from Beed district and worked at the hospital in Phaltan tehsil, was found hanging in a hotel room at Phaltan late on Thursday night.

In the suicide note written on her palm, the doctor alleged that SI Gopal Badane raped and sexually harassed her on multiple occasions, while Prashant Bankar, a software engineer, mentally harassed her. “Badne raped me four times. He subjected me to rape, mental and physical abuse for more than five months,” read the note. Both have been booked under charges of rape and abetment of suicide, the police said.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis spoke to Satara SP Tushar Doshi and ordered the suspension of the sub-inspector named in the suicide note.

SP Doshi told reporters that a case of rape and abetment of suicide has been lodged against two people, including a sub-inspector, at the Phaltan city police station, and two teams have been formed to trace and nab the duo.

Sunil Phulari, IGP (Kolhapur division), said the police officer involved in the case has been suspended.

It is further learnt that the doctor had submitted a complaint to the Phaltan Sub-Divisional Police Officer against some police officers. The police had separately filed a complaint against her too with the hospital administration, the SP said without providing further details.

“The deceased booked a room at a hotel in Phaltan. However, she didn’t respond when the hotel staff knocked on the room’s door and rang the bell. The staff grew suspicious and opened the door with an alternative key and found her hanging. We have formed two teams to trace the accused,” the SP said.

A relative of the doctor claimed she was under pressure to change a post-mortem report and modify medical test reports of the arrested accused, who were brought to the hospital where she worked, in some cases.

The woman doctor had called one of the accused, Bankar, who works in Pune, before ending her life, and the two had also exchanged text messages. She lived as a tenant in a flat owned by Bankar's father, a senior official said.

MoS for Health Meghna Bordikar said she spoke to the Satara civil surgeon and was informed that the doctor had never complained about facing any sort of harassment.

Maharashtra Minister Pankaja Munde, who hails from Beed district, said there should be no “media trial” in the incident.

Opposition Shiv Sena (UBT)’s spokesperson Sushma Andhare demanded setting up of an independent SIT to probe the case.

“She was bright and ambitious. We raised her since childhood and supported her education. She was under pressure at work and that is why she took this extreme step,” said an aunt of the victim.

Another relative added, “Just two days ago, she mentioned about being harassed by seniors at work.”