'Forced to change medical reports, grievances never heard': What relatives of Satara doctor said

Satara:

The relatives of the 28-year-old woman doctor, who died by suicide in Maharashtra's Satara district, have said that the two accused must be give death penalty, adding that her grievances were never addressed by the hospital staff. 

The victim, who was a native of Wadvani taluka of the Beed district, was working at a sub-district hospital in Satara. On Thursday, her body was found hanging at a hotel room in Phaltan town. A suicide note was also recovered in which accused police sub-inspector (PSI) Gopal Badane of rape and software engineer Prashant Bankar of mental harassment.  

"Police told us about the incident (suicide) and we went to the hospital (where the body was brought). Being a doctor, I told them I will remain present for the autopsy," one of her relatives said, as reported by news agency PTI. "That time I saw the suicide note on her palm and conveyed this to police. I suggested that forensic experts should do the autopsy."

'Forced to change medical reports'

Another relative of the victim said the doctor was even pressurised to change medical reports at the hospital where she was working. He claimed that the doctor was 'tortured' by a medical officer and he used to assign her "autopsy duty repeatedly".

"Political people in Phaltan often asked her to change medical reports as she used to be regularly on autopsy duty. She had complained multiple times against the PSI (named in the note), but her complaints were not looked into," PTI quoted the relative as saying.

"If justice is not done, how will other professional women do their duty without fear or pressure. What example we are presenting before people. How will women pursue education under such circumstances?" the relative said.

Accused, co-accused arrested

The police have nabbed both the accused and the co-accused. While Bankar was arrested on Saturday morning and has been sent to four-day police custody, Badane had surrendered at the Phaltan Rural Police Station in Satara, officials said. The two have been charged with a case of rape and abetment of suicide.

The action comes after Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy CM Eknath Shinde promised of stern action in the case, saying no one will be spared. However, the opposition has attacked the state government over the incident and called it an "institutionalised murder".