A junior resident doctor died by suicide at the Government Medical College Campus in Surat’s New Civil Hospital. Dr Harsh Pandya, 28, was found hanging in his room on Sunday.
A police investigation has led the medical college administration to suspend four second-year resident doctors for six months on charges of ragging and ordered them to vacate their hostel.
On Sunday morning, Pandya’s fellow doctors were unable to enter his hostel room 1004. He had also failed to report for duty on Saturday.
After receiving no response for a prolonged time the security personnel were called, and Pandya was found hanging from the ceiling fan. He was rushed to the civil hospital, where doctors declared him dead.
A post-mortem examination was conducted, and police have begun an investigation.
Pandya hailed from Modasa in Aravalli district.
The medical college's anti-ragging committee, anti-ragging squad and college council conducted a joint investigation. Statements were taken from resident doctors, faculty and other staff members of the microbiology department during the eight-hour meeting.
The investigation revealed that there were allegations of ragging and mental harassment of junior doctors by four second-year resident doctors.
The suspended doctors Dr Nirali Vasave, Dr Anuj Maheshwari, Dr Dixitaben Gevriya, and Dr Heenaben Bhoot are accused of verbally abusing juniors.
The allegations are that the junior doctors were made to sit in a room for two hours each and subjected to ragging and insults, including calling them servants.
A Show-cause notice was also issued to the HOD of the Microbiology department and three faculty members.
The medical college has witnessed about five cases of suicides and suspicious deaths of junior doctors in the past three to four years.
Pandya ws reportedly enagaged about six months ago. He was also the only son of his family. His father is a surgeon. According to his father Pandya did not share that he had any major problem and only mentioned a few issues with senior doctors.
