DEHRADUN: In a chilling incident that has sent shockwaves through the medical fraternity, a third-year postgraduate resident doctor at the SGRR Medical College in Dehradun died by suicide on Tuesday night. Dr. Tanvi, a student of the ophthalmology department, allegedly took her own life using a lethal dose of potassium chloride (KCl).
According to police, the 26-year-old was found unresponsive inside her car parked near the Shani Temple, close to the hospital premises.
Forensic experts and police were stunned by the clinical precision with which the act was carried out. Investigators discovered that Dr. Tanvi had hung an IV bottle containing 100ml of potassium chloride from the car's grab handle, connecting it via a cannula inserted into her own arm. The drip, administered over several hours, caused fatal hyperkalemia—a condition where excess potassium disrupts the heart’s rhythm, leading to cardiac arrest.
“As a doctor, she knew exactly what would be effective," a senior local physician noted. “Potassium chloride is typically used to correct low potassium levels; in high doses, it induces immediate arrhythmia."
The victim’s father, Lalit Mohan, a resident of Ambala, recounted the harrowing hours leading up to the tragedy. He revealed that his daughter had called him around 9:00 PM, weeping about immense mental distress.
“She told me she couldn’t take it anymore,” Mr. Mohan said, struggling to hold back tears. "She asked me to come to Dehradun from Ambala immediately and mentioned she wanted to file a formal complaint against the Head of Department (HOD).”
Despite reassurances from her father, subsequent attempts to reach her failed. Her father rushed from Ambala to Dehradun when she didn't respond to calls or messages. He found her semi-conscious in her car and rushed her to the emergency ward, but she was declared dead on arrival.
The family has levelled serious allegations against the HOD of the Ophthalmology Department, Dr. Priyanka Gupta, accusing her of prolonged mental harassment.
“Tanvi would often call us in tears, describing the toxic work environment,” her father claimed. While the hospital’s Chief Public Relations Officer, Bhupendra Raturi, stated that Dr. Tanvi had a history of mental health struggles and was receiving treatment, the family remains adamant that professional pressure was the catalyst.
CO Sadar Ankit Kandari confirmed that a case is being registered based on the family's complaint. “We are taking these allegations of professional harassment very seriously. A thorough investigation into the circumstances leading to this tragic decision is underway,” he stated.
Dr. Tanvi, described by her family as a brilliant student with aspirations to become a top surgeon, leaves behind a grieving family and a grieving peer group, raising uncomfortable questions about the pressures faced by resident doctors within the high-stress environment of medical institutions.
(If you are having suicidal thoughts, or are worried about a friend or need emotional support, someone is always there to listen. Call Sneha Foundation - 04424640050, Tele Manas - 14416 (available 24x7) or iCall, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences' helpline - 02225521111, which is available Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 10 pm.)