The PG medical student Dharavathi Preethi, 26, who was hospitalized after she attempted suicide, succumbed at Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) on Sunday night.
According to a report, mild tension prevailed at the hospital as slogans were being raised demanding justice for the deceased doctor. Since Sunday evening, various tribal organisations had gathered at the hospital demanding justice for Dr Preethi.
The student of Kakatiya Medical College (KMC), Preethi resorted to the extreme step after being harassed by her senior, second-year post-graduate student Md Saif.
Saif was arrested by the Mattewada police on Friday. He was booked under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Saif has been reportedly harassing Preethi since December 2022, a month after she joined PG Anaesthesia. According to Warangal Commissioner of Police A V Ranganath, Saif was shifted to Khammam Jail after being produced before the IIIrd Judicial First Class Magistrate in Warangal.
Preethi’s father, Narender, had said that his daughter was ragged by her seniors. He demanded a proper investigation into the cause of her suicide.
Dharavathi Narender, an SI in the Railway Police Force (RPF), Warangal, received a call from his daughter on Wednesday, complaining that her senior, identified as Dr Saif, was harassing her to work extra hours and not permitting her even to go to the washroom during duty hours in the MGM Hospital. Following this, he spoke to the Mattewada police over the phone and asked them to look into the matter.
Meanwhile, the state government has announced an ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh. Health Minister T Harish Rao expressed his condolences over Preethi’s death. In a statement released on Sunday evening, he said, “We were hoping for Preethi to come back healthy but she went to the world of no return. The State government stands by her family.”
(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 (available 24x7) or iCall, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences' helpline - 02225521111, which is available Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 10 pm.)