Dr. Dharavathi Preethi, a doctor and a post graduate student of Kakatiya Medical College, who had committed suicide allegedly due to the harassment by her senior Dr Mohammad Saif passed away on Sunday (26 February 2023) night failing to respond to the treatment.
Saif has been reportedly harassing Preethi since December 2022, a month after she joined PG Anaesthesia. She was discovered unresponsive in the MGM Hospital staff room while on duty. She reportedly attempted suicide by injecting anesthesia drugs unable to bear the harassment from Dr. Saif.
According to the reports, the incident happened on February 23 but the police arrested the accused on February 24. Police have filed a case under ragging-related laws and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act in addition to charges of abetment to suicide against the accused.
Junior physicians at KMC-Warangal have called for a protest over this incident. However, several medical professionals held signs that read, “Pray for Preethi, Stand with Saif” on Friday. In a statement, the Telangana Junior Doctors Association expressed solidarity with Preethi’s family while denouncing the accusations against Saif as untrue. Medical professionals have asked that allegations against Saif be withdrawn since they claim that interactions between senior and younger batches of medical professionals are routine.
But the police who examined the cell phones of the deceased and accused, concluded that Preethi had been subjected to harassment. They had however ruled out sexual harassment or a love angle.
Whatsapp chats revealed that Saif reprimanded Preethi for a specific incident. She told Saif, feeling personally offended, to mind his own business. “You are trying to insult me. In case you have anything to say, you should tell my HoD,” she added. The inquiry, according to the authorities, revealed several such occurrences.
Preethi was allegedly being made to put in extra hours by Saif, who reportedly spotted flaws in her work frequently. Dharavathi Narender, an SI in the Railway Police Force (RPF), Warangal, received a call from his daughter on Wednesday, complaining that Dr Saif, was harassing her to work extra hours and not permitting her even to go to the washroom during duty hours in the MGM Hospital. Following this, he spoke to the Mattewada police over the phone and asked them to look into the matter.
Meanwhile, the state government has announced an ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh. Health Minister T Harish Rao expressed his condolences over Preethi’s death.
(With inouts from OpIndia and The New Indian Express)
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