Mumbai: A second-year MD Gynaecology student of BYL Nair Hospital, Dr. Payal Tadvi, committed suicide in the college hostel by hanging herself. After performing 2 surgeries on Wednesday, the 26-year-old from Jalgaon was found dead a few hours later. She hadn’t shown any signs of stress after the operations according to a representative of the Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors. Despite 45 minutes of CPR, she was unresponsive. Payal’s parents had demanded that an FIR should be filed against fellow doctors who reportedly tortured the girl.

A case has been registered under the Atrocities Act, Anti-Ragging Act, Information Technology Act and under Section 306 for abetment to suicide, against doctor students Dr. Hema Ahuja, Dr. Ankita Khandilwal and Dr. Bhakti Mehar. No arrests have been made as yet and an accidental death report has been filed. Payal’s cousin Nilesh reported that: “Tadvi had been complaining about three senior doctors at the hospital who were harassing her from a long time. She alleged that the doctors would not allow her to meet her husband or have food during working hours as she belonged to a lower caste. They also threatened her that she would not be able to complete her MD.”

Payal’s mother Abeda Salim Tadvi, a cancer patient, said that even when she used to come to Nair Hospital for treatment, the three doctors would not allow her daughter to meet her. On Wednesday, Payal had cried to her mother on the phone saying that the three of them were torturing her mentally. Her mother said: "I ensured her that we will visit her on Thursday and look for solutions to the problem."

WhatsApp chats of a doctor’s group are being submitted by relatives to prove the "casteist slurs" used against Payal who belonged to a Scheduled Caste. A relative reported having complained earlier to the superintendent of police of Jalgaon about the issue. The police and the anti-ragging panel are now investigating the case.

It is saddening to see that members of a profession which is meant to save lives may have done the opposite.