Tragic Suicide of Dehradun Medical Student Sparks Harassment Allegations
A 25-year-old Master of Surgery student specializing in ophthalmology from Ambala died by suicide in the early hours of Wednesday in Dehradun. The incident occurred inside her car parked near the Shri Guru Ram Rai Institute of Medical & Health Sciences (SGRRIMHS) in Patel Nagar, where she had been studying for the past three years.
Father's Allegations of Systematic Harassment
The student's father, an Ayurveda practitioner based in Ambala, has made serious allegations against her head of department. According to his account, the harassment began approximately four months ago when the HoD was promoted. The father claims the HoD pressured his daughter to sever all contact with her thesis guide and previous head of department.
"When my daughter refused, citing her ongoing thesis work, the HoD started giving her '0' marks in her duty logs despite her being academically strong and previously receiving average marks of '6'," the father told TOI at the district hospital where the post-mortem examination was conducted.
The Final Hours and Discovery
The father became concerned when his daughter failed to respond to his calls and messages on Tuesday night. After rushing to Dehradun around 3 am, he found her unconscious inside her locked car parked near a temple close to the hospital where she had been on duty.
"I broke open the rear window and found a cannula in her left arm. She had injected some chemical into her body," he recounted. "I rushed her to the hospital, where she was declared dead on arrival. We are completely broken and want justice."
The family has lodged a formal complaint at the Patelnagar police station regarding the alleged harassment.
Police Investigation and Institute's Response
Senior sub-inspector Pramod Shah of Patelnagar police station confirmed receiving the complaint but noted that "a case is yet to be registered as police are inquiring about allegations made in the complaint. Appropriate legal action would be taken accordingly."
In contrast to the father's allegations, the institute's management presented a different perspective. Bhupendra Raturi, chief PRO of SGRRIMHS, stated that the student had been undergoing treatment for mental illness and had previously attempted suicide twice - once two years ago and again on December 31 last year.
"Her parents were aware and were getting her psychiatric treatment. Due to her condition, her parents were staying near the campus," Raturi explained. "The written consent regarding her mental illness was submitted by her parents at the medical superintendent's office in the past."
Institute's Additional Statement and Concerns
In a subsequent statement, the institute management revealed they had informed the Dehradun Senior Superintendent of Police about the matter. They also expressed concern that "some people are taking undue advantage of the situation and are talking about filing an FIR to tarnish the image of the doctors and the hospital, which is not justified."
The statement continued: "This will have an adverse effect on the morale of doctors. We humbly request you to take cognisance of the matter and take necessary action."
Background and Living Situation
The deceased student had been residing in Dehradun with her mother in a rented accommodation while pursuing her ophthalmology specialization. Her father maintained regular contact and became alarmed when she spoke about "constant harassment" during their final conversation on Tuesday before becoming unresponsive.
The case highlights complex issues surrounding mental health support in academic institutions, allegations of academic harassment, and the tragic consequences when students face extreme pressure during their medical education.
