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Doctor, accused Bankar argued over photos of Diwali decoration: Police
Police sources confirmed that communication between the two continued throughout the night before the young doctor was found dead
Probe into the death by suicide case of 29-year-old woman doctor posted at the Phaltan Sub-District Hospital has revealed that an argument over photographs clicked during Diwali celebrations may have triggered a major dispute between her and the accused Prashant Bankar with whom she was in a relationship.
Speaking to the media after meeting officials at the sub-district hospital, police station and health department in Phaltan on Monday, state women’s commission chief Rupali Chakankar, said, “The doctor visited Bankar’s house to celebrate Diwali. An argument over clicking photographs escalated into a major argument with the doctor reportedly going to a nearby temple. While Bankar’s father brought her back home, the doctor later went to a lodge where she continued communicating with Prashant via messages throughout the night, but he had switched off his phone.”
According to Chakankar, the doctor sent multiple messages and photos to Prashant, stating that she would end her life, but he allegedly replied that she had made similar threats before.
Police sources confirmed that communication between the two continued throughout the night before the young doctor was found dead.
“During the interrogation of the accused, it was revealed that on Laxmi Pujan Day, the doctor asked Prashant to click photographs of the rangoli that she had drawn in front of his house. However, she was not happy with the pictures taken and went to a temple after a heated argument.”
Meanwhile, call detail records (CDR) of the doctor’s phone show that she was in communication with sub-inspector Gopal Badane from January to March, and later began interacting with Bankar.
“Forensic and autopsy reports are awaited. The preliminary post-mortem findings indicate it is a death by suicide case,” Chakankar said, adding that call records are analysed to confirm whether the doctor and the arrested cop were in touch.
No complaint with ICC
Officials said that while the doctor had mentioned sexual assault allegations in her suicide note, no formal grievance or written complaint was submitted to the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) under the Prevention of Sexual Harassment (PoSH) of the medical institution where she was working.
Chakankar said, “The ICC under the PoSH Act is active in the hospital and no complaint was filed by the deceased doctor. Her colleagues were unaware if she faced any political or police pressure and harassment. In fact, they all celebrated Diwali together.”
The government doctor, who allegedly died by suicide in a hotel room in Phaltan on October 23, had accused Badane of rape and software engineer Bankar of mental harassment. Both the accused are in police custody.
