NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday launched a sharp attack on Maharashtra’s Devendra Fadnavis-led Mahayuti government following the suspected death by suicide of a woman doctor in Satara district, alleging that the tragedy was a case of “institutionalised murder”.
In a post on X, Gandhi said the doctor’s death exposed the “inhumane and insensitive” face of the Fadnavis administration, alleging that a promising medical practitioner, who had dedicated herself to alleviating the suffering of others, had become a victim of persecution by criminals entrenched within a corrupt system.
“The death by suicide of Dr Sampada Munde in Satara, Maharashtra, driven to despair by rape and harassment, is a tragedy that shakes the conscience of any civilised society. A promising doctor daughter, who aspired to alleviate the pain of others, became a victim of persecution by criminals entrenched in a corrupt system and power structure,” the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha said in his social media post, adding that his party stood firmly with the victim’s family in their pursuit of justice.
He went on to pose a question, saying: “When power becomes a shield for criminals, from whom can justice be expected?” He further stated, “This death exposes the inhumane and insensitive face of this BJP government. We stand firmly with the victim's family in this fight for justice. For every daughter of India — no more fear, we demand justice.”
According to reports, a note was found on the doctor’s hand when her body was discovered in Satara on Friday.
The note reportedly named a police officer and two other individuals, claiming that they had driven her to take her own life through sustained physical and mental harassment.
Satara Police have since arrested two individuals, identified as Police Sub-Inspector Gopal Badne and Prashant Bankar. A case has been registered against them on allegations of rape and abetment to suicide.
The Police Sub-Inspector named in the alleged note was suspended immediately following the development. The deceased doctor’s relative also claimed she had been subjected to political pressure relating to her work.
Speaking to the media, the doctor’s cousin said, “There was a lot of police and political pressure on her to make wrong postmortem reports. She tried to complain about it. My sister should get justice.”
The Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) has condemned the death of their colleague and called for an immediate and transparent inquiry into the incident.
