Alleged harassment from doctor, work pressure: MD Paediatrics student commits suicide, probe on

Kolar: In a tragic incident, a post-graduate MD Paediatrics student allegedly committed suicide by jumping into a quarry pit filled with water near Kendatti, off Bengaluru-Chennai national highway, near Kolar. It is suspected that she took this extreme step after being harassed by a senior doctor at her college and also from depression.

According to the police, the brother of the deceased alleged that his sister was harassed by a doctor at the college and she had informed him and their parents about the incident. Moreover, she was facing extreme work pressure at her college and the college authorities refused to give her rest in her shifts. 

He claimed that she was also suffering from depression after facing harassment and work pressure issues at her college. Apart from her brother, her friends also alleged the same. Therefore, the police are suspecting that she committed suicide due to the said reason. 

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On the other hand, her brother also alleged that his sister wouldn't have had the courage to travel nearly 25km (away from her hostel) on her own to an abandoned quarry to end her life. Suspecting the real reason behind her sister's death, he urged the police to conduct a proper investigation into the case. 

The deceased is a 26-year-old PG paediatrics student of MVJ Medical College near Hoskote in the Bengaluru rural district. It came to light that she was a bright and friendly student who hailed from Ballari, completed her MBBS at Koppal College of Medical Sciences and secured a seat for MD, Paediatrics, at MVJ College.

The suicide took place at 11.30 am on Sunday at a quarry near Kendatti village, which is 26 kilometres away from her college. She stepped out of her college on that day and took an auto to reach the quarry. After reaching the spot, she made a call to her friend and allegedly informed him that she was ending her life. Even before her friend could act, it was too late.

Her body was discovered after the locals spotted her body afloat and alerted the police. By afternoon, her body was removed from the quarry pit and was sent for post-mortem.

Following this, a case was registered at the Kolar rural police under Section 306 of IPC against the senior doctor of the college based on the complaint of the deceased younger brother. 

BR Ravikanthe Gowda, Inspector-General of Police, Central Range, told The New Indian Express that a detailed inquiry will be conducted to ascertain the reasons for Darshini taking the extreme step.

Arguing that she never made any complaint with the college authorities about the harassment, Dr Dayananda G, medical superintendent of MVJ Medical College told TOI, "She was on duty on Sunday and reported to work around 8 am. Around 10 am, she stepped out of the hospital. As she did not return for a long time, her friends and hospital authorities tried to contact her over the phone and the same was answered by Kolar police around 3 pm."

Therefore the college management denied the accusations made by the deceased brother about creating work pressure on her. In addition, they also alleged that there was no reason for her to take this extreme step since she was excellent in both her studies and work at the college. 

While investigating her room, the police found a prescription from the psychiatry department of a hospital in Hospet proving that she was indeed depressed. 

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