Forensic medicine HoD at SMS Medical College found hanging, investigation launched

Jaipur: In a shocking incident, the Head of the Department (HoD) of Forensic Medicine at Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Medical College Hospital was found hanging at his residence in Jaipur late Tuesday night, police said.

According to police, the doctor’s family members found him hanging in a room after returning home late on Tuesday night. He was immediately rushed to a private hospital in Jaipur's Khatipura area, where doctors declared him dead.

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Following the incident, several senior doctors and administrative officials, including SMS Medical College Principal Dr Deepak Maheshwari and Hospital Superintendent Dr Mrinal Joshi, arrived at the hospital.  

Those close to him describe the doctor as a cheerful person who was deeply dedicated to his work. He served as a senior professor and the HOD of the Forensic Medicine Department for years, and recently, a state-of-the-art laboratory was inaugurated at SMS Hospital in his presence. He had been serving in the Department of Forensic Medicine for a long time, boasting a distinguished career spanning nearly 30 years at SMS Medical College. He was a prominent figure in the field of forensic medicine, reports TNIE.  

Speaking to Bhaskar English, the doctor’s family friend, Madhav Singh, said, "Doctor sahib had been playing badminton with us every morning for the past 5 to 6 years. He came to play on Tuesday morning as well. Today (Wednesday), he did not turn up, so I called him at around 5:00 am to ask why he wasn't coming." He added, “At around 6:00 am, his daughter also called the doctor because she had to undergo some medical tests at SMS Hospital. The doctor asked her to reach the hospital at 9:00 am, saying he would meet her there. We reached the hospital in the morning, and that is when we came to know about his death by suicide."

Hospital officials said that the doctor had reportedly been under considerable mental stress following a financial fraud case registered against one of his family members a few years ago. However, investigators have not established any direct link between the case and his death, and the exact reason behind the alleged suicide remains unknown.

Police said preliminary findings indicate that it was a case of suicide, though a detailed investigation is underway. A team from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) inspected the scene, but no suicide note was recovered.

The body was initially brought to the emergency ward of SMS Hospital before being shifted to the mortuary for a post-mortem examination.

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