Maharashtra doctor suicide: Locals observe bandh in her native place, seek SIT probe

Residents of Wadwani in Maharashtra's Beed district observed a bandh on Tuesday, demanding a probe by a special investigation team (SIT) into the alleged suicide of a woman doctor who hailed from the region, police said.

The 28-year-old doctor was found hanging at a hotel in Phaltan taluka of Satara district last week, and left behind a suicide note written on her palm, in which she alleged that police sub-inspector Gopal Badane raped her on multiple occasions, while Prashant Bankar, a software engineer, mentally harassed her.

Both accused have been arrested.

Residents of Wadwani, a taluka where her village is situated, observed a bandh and took out a march from Shivaji Maharaj Chowk to the tehsil office.

They gave a memorandum listing their demands, including an SIT probe and fast-track trial in the case, to the authorities, the police official said.

He said that the bandh was being observed peacefully and was restricted to Wadwani.

Speaking to reporters, an activist, who took part in the bandh, alleged the role of other officials in the case, and said, "We demand that action be taken against these officers. They should also be suspended and punished."

On Monday, family members of the doctor demanded that the government set up an SIT to probe the case, and said the trial should be conducted in a fast-track court in Beed, and not in Phaltan, where the incident took place.