NEW DELHI: The tragic death of a 28-year-old doctor in Satara, Maharashtra, has taken a shocking turn with allegations of harassment leading up to her apparent suicide. Reports indicate that a Member of Parliament had previously confronted her over the phone, accusing her of not issuing a fitness certificate for an arrested individual. This certificate was crucial for the police to take the person into custody. The doctor, who was working at the Phaltan subdistrict hospital, was found hanging in a hotel room on Thursday evening after checking in late Wednesday night due to the distance from her rented home.

In a disturbing note found on her palm, she accused sub-inspector Gopal Badane of repeated sexual assault and Prashant Bankar, a software engineer and her landlord's son, of mental harassment. Following her death, a case of abetment of suicide has been filed against both individuals. The doctor had reportedly faced ongoing intimidation from police officials, claiming they pressured her to alter medical reports and taunted her about crimes in her home district of Beed.

One alarming incident involved police attempting to force her to declare a high-blood-pressure patient fit for custody, despite the patient needing treatment. Although she submitted a written complaint to the Deputy Superintendent of Police in June, no action was taken. The Satara police revealed that the doctor had been in a relationship with Bankar for five months, which had soured before her death. The sub-inspector is currently on the run, and authorities have suspended him while forming a special team to locate him and Bankar.

Political leaders have called for a thorough and independent investigation into the case. NCP leader Dhananjay Munde has demanded a special investigation team (SIT) and a fast-track trial, emphasizing that ignoring her complaints due to her Beed origin would be a serious injustice. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve echoed these sentiments, insisting that officials from outside Satara should conduct the inquiry, labeling the incident as a case where protectors became predators.

The doctor’s relatives have stated that she frequently complained about police harassment and pressure to change reports. Activist Nitin Andhale shared her alleged statement online, shedding light on the intimidation she faced. Satara Superintendent of Police Tushar Doshi confirmed that her complaints and evidence, including WhatsApp messages, were used to file FIRs under relevant sections of the law. An inquiry panel is being established by the civil surgeon to investigate whether hospital superiors acted on her complaints. Civil surgeon Yuvraj Karape noted that the doctor was nearing the end of her second contract term and often stayed in the hotel after late-night shifts. Authorities are currently reviewing all her complaints regarding police interference in hospital operations.