'Had She Confided In...': Police Admit Timely Action Could Have Saved Satara Doctor's Life
Satara police admitted that the life of the woman doctor, who died by suicide, could have been saved had action been taken on her complaint or if she had told about her harassment to someone.
Maharashtra Police have acknowledged that the life of a 29-year-old woman doctor, who died by suicide in Satara district earlier this week, might have been saved if timely action had been taken on her earlier complaints. The young medical officer, posted on a contractual basis at a government hospital in Phaltan, was found hanging in a hotel room on Thursday night.
Investigations have since revealed disturbing allegations, including claims that the doctor was pressured by police officials, and, in one instance, by a sitting Member of Parliament (MP) and his aides, to issue fake fitness certificates for accused persons in police cases.
‘If Action Had Been Taken in Time…’
Speaking to the media on Saturday, Satara Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Vaishali Kaduskar expressed deep anguish over the tragedy, describing it as “painful” both as an officer and as a woman.
“If action had been taken on the complaint of that woman doctor in time, or if she herself had confided in someone about the atrocities she was facing, perhaps her life could have been saved today,” Kaduskar told PTI.
Palm Note Names Two Men
The doctor reportedly left multiple clues behind. One of the most striking was a note written on her palm in Marathi, in which she named two individuals, one being Phaltan City police sub-inspector (PSI) Gopal Badane, and the other, her landlord’s son, Prashant Bankar.
According to the note, Badane allegedly raped her four times, while Bankar had been physically and mentally harassing her for several months. Police arrested Bankar on Saturday following these revelations.
Four-Page Suicide Letter Emerges
Adding to the gravity of the case, a four-page suicide letter has surfaced, in which the deceased detailed how she was routinely pressured to falsify medical reports. According to an NDTV report the doctor accused an MP and his two personal assistants of coercing her into issuing fake fitness certificates for accused individuals.
The letter alleged that when she refused to comply, she faced harassment from police officials, including PSI Badane, and others. It also described an incident where two aides of the MP allegedly entered the hospital, dialled the politician, and forced her to speak to him, during which he reportedly issued veiled threats.
Family Alleges Political and Police Pressure
The doctor’s cousin told Hindustan Times that she had been under immense pressure from both police and political figures for refusing to manipulate post-mortem and medical fitness reports.
“There was a lot of police and political pressure on her to make false post-mortem reports. She had tried to complain to senior officers, but nothing was done. They even asked her to prepare fit/unfit certificates without bringing patients to the hospital,” he said.
He further alleged that she had lodged a formal complaint with the local Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) between June and July, naming three police officials, including PSI Badane.
Police Deny Allegations
A senior Satara police official, however, denied that the June complaint was related to harassment, claiming instead that it “concerned a different matter.”
As investigations continue, the case has sparked outrage and renewed questions about systemic failures in addressing harassment complaints, especially from women in public service roles.
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