The cousin of the woman doctor who died in Maharashtra’s Satara district has alleged that she had been under intense police and political pressure and was being forced to prepare false post-mortem reports.The doctor was found hanging in a hotel room in the Phaltan area late on Thursday night, according to police. Speaking to news agency ANI, the doctor’s cousin claimed, “Last year, she was facing a lot of police and political pressure. She was being pressured to make false post-mortem reports. She had written a letter to the DCP to complain, but they didn’t do anything.”
He further added, “She was being pushed to prepare false reports, and even though the patient had not been admitted to the hospital, she was being told to issue a fit and fine report.”
The cousin said the family is seeking justice, stating that the doctor had been under tremendous distress. The woman hailed from Beed district and was employed at a hospital in Phaltan.
In a suicide note written on her palm, the doctor had accused two Maharashtra Police personnel of rape and mental harassment over the past five months, prompting outrage and calls for justice across the state.According to news agency PTI, the suicide note written on her palm named Sub-Inspector Gopal Badane, accused of rape and sexual harassment on several occasions, and another police personnel, Prashant Bankar, accused of mental harassment.
An official from the Phaltan police station said, “We have registered a case, and the body has been sent for post-mortem. We are also investigating the allegations mentioned in the suicide note on the victim’s hand.”
Meanwhile, Maharashtra State Women’s Commission chief Rupali Chakankar said that strict action would be taken against the accused. “We have taken cognisance of the matter and ordered Satara Police to take strict action against the accused. Teams have been deployed to hunt the accused,” she stated.
A case has been registered against Gopal Badane and Prashant Bankar on charges of rape and abetment to suicide, and police said the investigation is ongoing.