It has also now emerged that the doctor who killed himself in Satara district of Maharashtra and in her suicide note, had written that she was being pressured to give fake fitness certificates of accused in police cases and she was harassed when she did not. The pressure, as she tells us, was not only that of police officials, but in one instance it was that of a member of Parliament and two of his personal assistants.
The 26 year old who used to work as a medical officer at the Phaltan sub-district hospital in Satara had written on her palm that she was raped four times by Sub-Inspector Gopal Badne and mentally and physically abused over five months. She had only got 23 months of service in the hospital and could just finish her bond period – which included service in a rural area – in a month after which she was planning on undergoing a post-graduate degree.
ndtv has obtained a copy of the four-page letter in which she says the police officers pressured her into giving false fitness certificates to the alleged, many of whom will not be even bought in to be examined by a doctor. Badne and other people would harass her at the time when she refused.
Relating one of these, she told me she had refused to grant a certificate and two personal assistants of a member of Parliament had entered into the hospital. They had called the MP on the phone and had caused her to speak to him and he had threatened her indirectly.
Her cousin also made the same allegations against the doctor claiming that he had been tasked to forge medical certificates.
She had made complaints on two to three occasions. After sending a letter to the Superintendent of Police (SP) and Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), no measures were taken.
In the letter, she enquired whether in case anything occurred to her, who should be held accountable? The insecurity at the premises was also highlighted but nothing. She also called the DSP who replied that he would call her back, no one did anything about it, he said.
The doctor has also told in her letter that she was sexually harassed by her landlord, Prashant Bankar.
Badne and Bankar have been charged with rape and abetment to suicide and the police officer has been suspended.
We are exploring the issue based on evidence that has been acquired until now. It has been registered in Satara district. The law enforcement official in that case has been suspended,” The Inspector General of Police in the Kolhapur division (Sunil Phulari) was quoted by the news agency PTI.
‘Why No Action?’
There has also been a political backlash in which the congress has lashed out against the BJP-led government in the state and accused them of protecting the police in the case.
When the very person you protect is the one you prey on! It is the responsibility of the police to protect and the question is that when they themselves are exploiting a female doctor how will they serve justice? Why then was nothing done about this when this girl had already filed a complaint regarding the same? Police are being frequently protected by the Mahayuti government and this is fueling the rise in the number of police atrocities, Congress leader Vijay Namdevrao Wadettiwar wrote in one of the posts in X.
The BJP promised that a proper investigation will be conducted.
It is a great sad affair, I have just talked to the Superintendent of Police of Satara… We have been informed that the doctor had reported a complaint but nothing was done. All the facts will be probed into the case… I wish to beseech all ladies that they cannot afford to go so far… We have a government that is willing to assist. Such complaints should be registered in the 112 helpline and action will be taken, BJP leader Chitra Wagh said.
Maharashtra Woman Doctor’s Suicide Note On Hand
The death of a woman doctor who was allegedly raped four times in five months by a police sub-inspector (SI) by upcommitting suicide at a district hospital in Maharashtra Satara on Thursday night.
The victim wrote in a note that was left on her left palm that she was physically and mentally abused by SI Gopal Badne, and that she was constantly harassed by him, which made her commit suicide. Badne has now been suspended. She also filed a complaint in the note that Prashant Bankar, the son of her landlady, harassed her mentally.
It is because of a company of Gopal Badne, who is the police inspector of my death. He raped me four times. The note noted: he raped me, abused me both mentally and physically with the possession of over five months.
Similar claims had been filed by the doctor who was working as a medical officer in the Sub-Divisional Office of the Phaltan sub-district hospital and had submitted a letter to the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Phaltan on June 19.
Months before her suicide, the woman doctor filed a complaint against two police officers of Phaltan Rural Police Department, claiming that they had harassed her and brought a lawsuit against them in the court.
Sub-Divisional Police Inspector Patil (Badne) and Assistant Police Inspector Ladputre were put down in the letter by her. She claimed that she was under extreme stress, and so, she wanted the serious issue to be investigated and the necessary action against the guilty officers taken.
Badne had been suspended on the directives of the Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
The political row that occurred on Friday was caused by the occurrence of the suicide that happened on Thursday night in the state.
The head of the State Congress leader Vijay Namdevrao Wadettiwar lamented with regards to the suicide note against the ruling Mahayuti government.
When the guardian turns the hypocrite! It is the responsibility of the police to safeguard, and in case they are the ones who are taking advantage of a female doctor, what about the justice then? Why not do anything when this girl had already made a complaint earlier? The government headed by Mahayuti continues to protect the police every time, hence causing a rise in the number of atrocities of the police, he said in a post X.
It is not sufficient to order an investigation in this case. These police officers must lose their jobs, otherwise, they would put pressure on the investigation. How come her earlier complaint had not been taken with seriousness? The individuals who dismissed it and those that defended these police officers should be dealt with. No action will be taken against the police to curb the atrocities that the police commit, he added.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that is a component of the ruling Mahayuti promised to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the suicide of the doctor.
The affair is regrettable, I have talked over with Satara Superintendent of Police. The registration of First Information Report is being done. One of the accused is also outside Satara and a team has been put together to arrest him and soon the accused will be arrested BJP Member of legislative council and state women president Chitra Wagh said.
We have also come to learn that the doctor had already brought up a complaint but nothing was done about it. All will be corroborated in the case… I wish to entreat every woman, not to make such an extreme step… Our government is willing to assist. Such complaints are to be registered on the 112 helpline and action will be taken, she said.
The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) which is also a constituent of the ruling alliance besides the Shiv Sena also demanded stern action towards the accused.
It is a regrettable case. This has dispatched teams to arrest the accused. Harshest measures are necessary since there is the zero tolerance policy on atrocities against women, NCP leader Anand Paranjape said.
The Maharashtra state commission women also observed the incident and it has ordered the police to investigate the so called non-action over the complaint brought against the doctor.
The dead doctor has been taken to the hospital to get an autopsy done on his body. The commission now requests the Superintendent of Police, Satara, to immediately look after the absconding accused, and to thoroughly investigate the whole case, it said in a series of posts on X.
The commission has ordered the police to establish why the woman who was victimised failed to get assistance despite having been complaining to about the harassment she was undergoing in the past and that it would take stringent measures to those involved.
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