Anaesthesia Overdose: 32 year old Anaesthetist at Tata Memorial hospital kills self

Mumbai: By injecting herself with an overdose of anaesthesia, a resident doctor attached with Tata Memorial Hospital had allegedly committed suicide. The doctor was suffering from depression.

The 32-year-old deceased doctor, identified as one, Dr Rupali Kalkundre was an anesthesiologist at the Tata Memorial hospital in Parel. She was found in a critical condition by her doctor husband Dr Sagar Kurunkar at their residence in the hospital quarters on Saturday.

Police have registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR) in this regard. “During the preliminary inquiry, we learnt that the deceased was suffering from a mental illness. She had started consulting a psychiatrist in Thane,” an officer informed.

Another officer from Bhoiwada police station stated that around 2 pm, the deceased spoke to her husband and during the phone conversation, she said she was going to her sister’s residence.

Later, her husband called her again at 4 pm but she didn’t answer. On entering their residence, he found his wife unconscious, police added.

He immediately rushed her to Tata Memorial Hospital, where she was declared dead during treatment. "Despite best efforts, she could not be revived," read a statement issued by S.H. Jafri, the head PRO of Tata Hospital.

From the suicide spot, the police have recovered a syringe and three empty vials of medicine. No suicide note has been found by the investigators.

"We have not recovered a suicide note from her house. However, there is no foul play. Kalkundra seemed to be in the depression for the past few days," N Ambika, Deputy Commissioner of Police of Zone 4, confirmed to DNA.

Police Sub-Inspector Amruta Mane from Bhoiwada police station said, “Prima-facie, it appears that she administered an injection on her left hand but we are still waiting for the post-mortem reports.”

According to forensic experts, the final cause of death has been reserved, but preliminary autopsy suggests that she suffered respiratory paralysis due to the overdose of an anaesthetic drug called procaine, reports the Indian Express.

A forensic doctor added that she injected herself with the drug and suffered respiratory arrest that led to her death.