Bhopal doctor attacks friend who broke up with him, attempts suicide

The 26-year-old doctor allegedly attacked the woman, a postgraduate medical student, after a bitter argument over their breakup a few months ago, police said

Published on: Oct 7, 2026, 15:31:43 IST

By Shruti Tomar, BHOPAL

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A 26-year-old doctor posted at a private hospital allegedly shot a postgraduate medical student and her cousin with a handheld airgun on Tuesday evening in Bhopal’s Gandhinagar area before attempting suicide, police said on Wednesday.

The three are currently undergoing treatment at a local hospital.

Gandhinagar Station House Officer (SHO) Sunil Chaturvedi said a case of attempt to murder has been registered against Dr Naveen Ruhela, a resident of Rajgarh.

Chaturvedi said Ruhela and Shweta Thakur, 25, had been in a relationship for about 18 months, and the two had broken up a few months ago. “Ruhela was upset over the separation and had been threatening the woman,” he said.

Thakur, who had gone home to meet her family in Gujarat, returned to Bhopal with her cousin Ashutosh Thakur on Monday.

When Ruhela, who lived in the same residential complex, learnt that she was back, he went to her house at about 11 pm on Tuesday. “An argument ensued, during which Ruhela shot Thakur in the head with the airgun and her cousin in the chest and abdomen,” the SHO added.

Ruhela returned to his apartment and attempted to hang himself, but his friends intervened soon after and rushed him to the hospital.

If you need support or know someone who does, please reach out to your nearest mental health specialist.

Helplines: Aasra: 022 2754 6669; Sneha India Foundation: +914424640050 and Sanjivini: 011-24311918, Roshni Foundation (Secunderabad) Contact Nos: 040-66202001, 040-66202000, ONE LIFE: Contact No: 78930 78930, SEVA: Contact No: 09441778290

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shruti Tomar
I have spent over a decade chronicling Madhya Pradesh’s political and social landscape, covering politics, investigative journalism, crime, human interest, and government policy, blending sharp insight with ground‑level depth. I have closely tracked three assembly elections, three Lok Sabha elections, leadership transitions in MP while exposing governance lapses, tender irregularities, and flawed policy rollouts. My reports have revealed gaps in the Cheetah project, irregularities in medical education, rigging in recruitment exams, and loopholes in policy implementation. In crime reporting, I have moved beyond FIRs to map systemic patterns — from organised crime networks and gender‑based violence to custodial accountability — balancing urgency with sensitivity. My journalism is defined by a commitment to human interest. I have profiled the marginalised Bancchda community, documented atrocities against tribal groups, and highlighted efforts to preserve their culture through heritage liquor and revival of spiritual practices. I have reported on farmers struggling with failed MSP promises, giving voice to those often reduced to statistics in policy files. Passionate about field reporting, I have reported on rampant sand mining in Chambal and Narmada, pharmaceutical companies supplying medicines under altered names, the dire condition of schools and colleges, the plight of commercial sex workers, and skewed sex ratios in specific districts. Beyond deadlines, and as HT’s state correspondent and assistant editor in Madhya Pradesh, I engage with ministers, farmers, students, and activists, believing the best policy stories begin with a single human voice. A postgraduate in Journalism and Mass Communication, I also hold a diploma in sports journalism.Read More

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