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Maharashtra doctor threatened suicide, techie bf Bankar ignored: Did fight over Diwali photos turn fatal?
Probe revealed a fight over Diwali photos may have led to a major dispute between Maha doctor and her techie boyfriend just days before she allegedly ended life
More details have emerged in the alleged Maharashtra doctor suicide case, with the police saying that investigation has revealed that on Diwali, three days before the medic's death, she and her now-arrested partner fought over photographs clicked during celebrations.
The argument over Diwali celebration photographs may have triggered a major dispute between her and the accused Prashant Bankar with whom she was in a relationship, an earlier HT report mentioned.
The doctor, working at a government hospital in Maharashtra's Satara, allegedly died by suicide in a hotel room in Phaltan on October 23. A note written on her palm accused a police sub inspector Gopal Badane - of rape and software engineer Prashant Bankar of mental harassment. Both the accused are in police custody.
Argument over Diwali photos
State women’s commission chief Rupali Chakankar said on Monday that the doctor visited Prashant Bankar’s house to celebrate Diwali where the two argued over clicking photographs. The argument snowballed into a major altercation 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,” the earlier HT report quoted Rupali Chakankar as saying after meeting officials at the sub-district hospital, police station and health department in Phaltan.
“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 made in front of his house," Chakankar said, adding that she was not happy with the pictures taken and went to a temple after a heated argument.
Doctor threatened suicide, Prashant ignored
Chakankar added the doctor sent multiple messages and photos to Prashant, stating that she would end her life, but he allegedly responded saying she had made similar threats before.
Police sources cited in the report confirmed that the two were in touch throughout the night, before the doctor was found dead.
Call detail records (CDR) of the doctor’s phone also revealed that the woman doctor was in communication with sub-inspector Gopal Badane from January to March, and later began interacting with Prashant 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 PSI were in touch.
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
