Satara (Maharashtra): A 26-year-old female doctor who allegedly committed suicide in Maharashtra’s Satara district, left behind a detailed four page suicide note apart from the inked note on the palm of her hand, stating that a police officer raped her four times and exerted pressure on her to issue fake fitness certificates of accused in police cases. It has now emerged in her note that she was allegedly under pressure not only from police officials but even from a Member of Parliament (MP) and his personal assistants.
The woman doctor, who worked as a medical officer at the Phaltan sub-district hospital in Satara, also wrote in the note on her palm of her hand that she had been raped four times by Sub-Inspector Gopal Badne and was subjected to mental and physical abuse for over five months.
The woman doctor, who hails from Beed district, had been serving in the hospital for 23 months and was just a month away from completing her bond period for service in a rural area, when she took the extreme step out of frustration.
In her four-page suicide note, she wrote that police officers pressured her into issuing fake fitness certificates for accused, many of whom would not even be brought in for a medical examination. When she refused to comply, she would be harassed by Sub-Inspector Gopal Badne and others, she added in her note.
“The reason for my death is Sub-Inspector Gopal Badne who raped me and Prashant Bankar who tortured me mentally and physically for 4 months,” she said.
Gopal Badne is a police officer, while Prashant Bankar is the son of the landlord in the house where the doctor lived.
She had complained 21 times to various authorities, but no action was taken against her tormentors.
Recounting a particular instance in her note, the doctor said she had refused to issue a certificate and two personal assistants of an MP had come to the hospital and made her speak to him over the phone. She stated in her note that during that conversation the MP had threatened her indirectly.
Her cousin also made similar allegations about the doctor being made to falsify medical certificates.
“She had raised complaints on two to three occasions. Despite writing a letter to the Superintendent of Police (SP) and Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), no action was taken,” he told media persons.
He further added, “In the letter, she asked that if anything happened to her, who would be responsible for it? She also flagged the lack of security at the hospital premises, but nothing happened. She also called the DSP, who said he would call her back, but no one took any action.”
A case has been registered against both the accused Badne and Bankar under charges of rape and abetment to suicide, and the police officer has been suspended especially after Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis took cognisance of the case and directed the Satara Superintendent of Police to take strict action against the accused.
“We are investigating the matter on the basis of evidence gathered so far. A case has been lodged in Satara district. The police officer involved in the case has been suspended,” said Sunil Phulari, Inspector General of Police (Kolhapur division).
The Opposition has slammed the Maharashtra government accusing it of shielding the police officers.
The Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) stated that in this case the protector has become the predator.
The Congress Legislature Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar said, “The duty of the police is to protect, but if they themselves are exploiting a female doctor, how will justice be served? Why was no action taken when this girl had previously lodged a complaint? The Mahayuti government repeatedly shields the police, which is leading to an increase in police atrocities.”
He further stated, “Merely ordering an enquiry in this case is not enough. The police officers allegedly responsible for the woman doctor taking such an extreme step should be sacked from their jobs, otherwise, they could influence the investigation. Why was her earlier complaint not taken seriously? Those who ignored it and those who shielded these police officers should face action. Until action is taken against the police, police atrocities will not be curbed.”
Former Leader of Opposition in the state council and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve slammed the state government while condemning the incident.
“The accused in the Phaltan suicide case flee, and then the Chief Minister orders “strict” action. The suicide of a daughter from Marathwada who has been struggling since birth to move forward is indicative of the protector becoming the predator. A woman who has taken a vow of public service has to endure such mental harassment and meets such an unfortunate end. Our demand is that the government should form an independent enquiry committee consisting of officers from outside Satara district to conduct a thorough investigation into this,” he said.
(IANS)
