The Maharashtra police has made a breakthrough in the suicide case of a woman doctor from Phaltan taluka.
According to the latest reports, the police arrested a software engineer.
The accused is identified as Prashant Bankar.
A manhunt is underway to track the second accused, sub-inspector Gopal Badne.
The young doctor, posted at Phaltan sub district hospital, was found dead in a hotel on Thursday.
Reports claim she had checked into the hotel late Wednesday night because her rented accommodation was located far from the hospital.
However, she failed to respond to repeated knocks. The hotel staff entered the room and discovered her body.
In a note reportedly written on her palm, the doctor accused sub-inspector Gopal Badane of repeated sexual assault and software engineer Prashant Bankar, her landlord’s son, of mental harassment.
Satara police have registered a case of abetment of suicide against both men.
Harassment and intimidation
According to Satara police, the doctor had been in a five-month relationship with Bankar, which later turned sour. Her interactions with the sub-inspector were related to her hospital duties. She frequently conducted medical examinations for suspects in custody.
“We have suspended him and formed a special team to trace and arrest him and the other suspect,” Inspector General Sunil Phulari was quoted as saying.
Officials added that in a statement the doctor had allegedly given to an internal inquiry committee, she mentioned persistent intimidation and harassment from police personnel.
She claimed she was pressured to alter post-mortem and medical reports and was mocked over previous crimes reported in her home district of Beed.
Pressure for wrong reports
One alleged incident, according to reports, described the police forcing her to declare a high-blood-pressure patient fit for custody and removing the patient without proper medical care. Despite submitting a written complaint to the deputy superintendent of police in June, she claimed no action was taken.
Political reactions have intensified since the incident. NCP leader Dhananjay Munde demanded a special investigation team (SIT) and a fast-track trial, stating that ignoring her complaints due to her Beed origin would be a grave injustice.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve called for the inquiry to be conducted by officials from outside Satara, describing the case as “a case where protectors turned predators.”
Relatives said the doctor had repeatedly complained about police harassment and pressure to modify reports. Activist Nitin Andhale shared her purported statement online, drawing attention to the alleged inaction and intimidation that may have contributed to her death.
Satara superintendent of police Tushar Doshi confirmed that her complaints, including WhatsApp messages, formed the basis of FIRs registered under sections 64 (rape) and 108 (abetment of suicide) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
A civil surgeon-led inquiry panel is now being set up to determine whether hospital authorities acted upon her complaints. Civil Surgeon Yuvraj Karape stated that the doctor had joined the hospital on contract and was nearing the end of her second 11-month term. She often stayed at the hotel after late-night duties, and officials are examining all complaints related to alleged police interference in hospital operations.
Also Read: Teenager’s Suicide In Banaskantha Turns Out To Be Honour Killing https://www.vibesofindia.com/teenagers-suicide-in-banaskantha-turns-out-to-be-honour-killing/
