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Patiala GMC student commits suicide, health minister to form probe panel

According to superintendent of police Sarfraz Alam, friends of the deceased informed that she had some stress-related issues owing to her study. No suicide note was found.

Updated on: Jul 21, 2024, 07:44:04 IST
By , Patiala
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A third-year student of the Government Medical College (GMC), Patiala, reportedly committed suicide in her hostel room on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday. Hailing from Chennai in Tamil Nadu, the deceased was pursuing a postgraduation programme in the anaesthesia department.

Hailing from Chennai in Tamil Nadu, the deceased was pursuing a postgraduation programme in the anaesthesia department.
Hailing from Chennai in Tamil Nadu, the deceased was pursuing a postgraduation programme in the anaesthesia department.

Confirming the development, superintendent of police (SP) Sarfraz Alam said she reportedly injected herself with some fatal substance in her hostel room. “Her friends informed that she had some stress-related issues owing to her study. We have not found any suicide note in her room. A postmortem examination will be conducted on Sunday once deceased’s family members reach Patiala,” he said.

People familiar with the development said the deceased completed her duty as usual and reached her hostel late on Friday night before taking the extreme step. “She had to report to the department in the morning but she didn’t. A few hours later, hostellers and others reached her room which was locked. When the students forced their entry into her room, they found her lying on the bed. She was rushed to the emergency ward of the Government Rajindra Hospital where efforts were made to revive her but she died,” said a senior doctor, wishing not to be named.

Punjab medical education minister Dr Balbir Singh said, “This is a very tragic incident. I have been told that her laptop containing her thesis crashed and she was under stress. She should have taken up this with higher-ups at the college and her issue could have ben resolved.”

“I am forming a committee to look into the matter. We are also trying to form a mechanism to address the issues of postgraduation students,” he added.

{Help is just a call away. Medical consultation: 104 (24x7, Punjab)}

  • Karam Prakash
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Karam Prakash

    Based in Patiala, Karam Prakash is a Senior Correspondent with Hindustan Times, wherefrom, he covers the Malwa region of Punjab. With extensive reporting experience, he writes on a wide range of beats: health, agriculture, power, education, labour, governance and sports. His reporting focuses on public policy, grassroots issues and stories that impact people’s everyday lives. Before taking charge of the Malwa region, Karam had been part of The Tribune’s National Bureau, wherein he covered several Union ministries and parliament reporting on key policy developments at the national level. He also has significant experience in sports journalism, having covered major international sporting events, including the Olympic and the Commonwealth Games.Read More