23-year-old Hyderabad doctor dies by suicide after family objects to keeping pet cat

A 23-year-old doctor in Hyderabad reportedly died by suicide after family disagreements over a pet cat.

A 23-year-old woman, who had recently completed her MBBS degree, allegedly died by suicide at her residence in Alwal, Hyderabad, following disagreements with her family over keeping a pet cat, police said.

The woman, found at home, had just finished her MBBS and was studying for postgraduate exams. (PTI)

The woman was found dead at her home on Friday evening when her mother and grandmother returned after stepping out, officials said.

According to police, the deceased had brought home a cat a few weeks ago and had been caring for it, but her family objected, citing health concerns as she had developed cold and cough symptoms. This reportedly led to frequent arguments at home, reported news agency PTI.

After finding the woman dead, family members alerted neighbours, who then informed the police. The body was shifted to Gandhi Hospital for post mortem examination, and a case of suspicious death has been registered based on a complaint filed by her mother, officials said, adding that all angles are being examined, a report by NDTV stated.

Police said the doctor had recently completed her medical degree and was preparing for postgraduate entrance examinations, while also applying for her medical licence.

In a similar incident just days earlier, a 20-year-old Bachelor of Science student allegedly died by suicide in Hyderabad at her home, reportedly distressed over the death of her pet cat, police said, as per the PTI report. The incident occurred about 30 minutes after the cat died on Wednesday morning, following which her parents rushed her to a hospital where she succumbed during treatment. According to police, the family said she was deeply upset by the loss of her pet, though further investigation into the circumstances is ongoing.

There have been a spate of such suicide-related deaths lately. A 30-year-old woman allegedly died by suicide in Hyderabad on March 11 after a dispute with her husband over her drinking habit at their residence in Esamiya Bazar, police said.

According to police, the woman locked herself in a room following an argument, and was later found unresponsive by her family. She was declared dead on arrival at a hospital, HT earlier reported.

In another case in Pune, a 22-year-old married woman allegedly died by suicide after facing repeated harassment from her husband and in-laws over dowry demands, with police registering a case under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

Discussing suicides can be triggering for some. However, suicides are preventable. A few major suicide prevention helpline numbers in India are 011-23389090 from Sumaitri (Delhi-based) and 044-24640050 from Sneha Foundation (Chennai-based).

(With PTI inputs)