Phaltan doctor suicide: Family claims body; booked medical superintendent untraceable

The medical superintendent of the hospital, Dr Leela Madane, who was suspended on Monday following the doctor’s death, is currently untraceable, said Phaltan City police on Wednesday

MUMBAI/ PUNE: The family of the 27-year-old doctor from the Sub-district Hospital in Phaltan, Satara, who attempted suicide last week and died at Sion Hospital on Monday, claimed his body on Wednesday morning, said Dr Pramod Ingale, dean of Sion Hospital. The family on Tuesday had refused to claim the body until the state government promised to punish the guilty.

Phaltan doctor suicide: Family claims body; booked medical superintendent untraceable

On the other hand, the medical superintendent of the hospital, Dr Leela Madane, who was suspended on Monday following the doctor’s death, is currently untraceable, said Phaltan City police on Wednesday. “Madane, who was booked in the case of abetment to suicide, is currently untraceable. She left the city before the case was transferred from Dadar Government Railway Police (GRP) to Phaltan city police. Investigation is underway and efforts are on to trace her,” said Phaltan City police inspector Ghanshyam Ballal.

A case against Dr Madane and others was initially registered at Dadar GRP station by the deceased’s brother on Monday and later transferred to Phaltan City police. Ballal added, “Other people will also be questioned and their roles examined; these names could be added to the FIR as the investigation progresses”.

The young doctor had travelled from Phaltan to Sion last week, where he allegedly attempted suicide. He was reportedly unable to cope with harassment by Prasad Konde-Deshmukh, the personal assistant of former minister Tanaji Sawant, after refusing him a fitness certificate due to inconsistencies in his ECG report. Following this, he was allegedly physically assaulted by Konde-Deshmukh in Dr Madane’s cabin, which prompted the doctor to file an FIR against the minister’s personal assistant. Soon after, Dr Madane initiated an inquiry against the doctor. His family alleged that while he repeatedly sought the report, it was not shared with him, and that he was subsequently suspended by Dr Madane.

Unable to bear the trauma, he purportedly travelled to Mumbai, to die by suicide.

After receiving the body on Wednesday, the family travelled to their village Mandve, at Malshiraj taluka, Solapur district, where his last rites were performed.

The doctor’s death triggered protests in Phaltan and also by doctors’ associations. Dr Rutuja Raut, president of the Bombay wing of Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD), said, “The letter issued by the director of public health services, Dr Vijay Kandewad, stated that anyone found guilty in an inquiry will be charged adhering to the appropriate section. The family was upset that their demands were not met – though a police case has been filed, no one has been arrested in this case and hence the protests will continue even now.”

Batchmates of the deceased told HT that the family was under immense pressure to claim the body amid a huge police presence at Sion Hospital late at night. MARD doctors, who held talks with senior officials of the health department, said they will continue to monitor and follow-up on the issue to ensure justice is done.