Gujarat's Medical College associate professor transferred after 18 resident doctors allege inappropriate conduct, ragging, harassment

The issue had earlier been taken up by the anti-ragging committee of the psychiatry department. The matter was subsequently brought to the attention of the Health Department.

During his visit to the hospital, Pansheriya held a closed-door meeting with the resident doctors to hear their complaints. Senior officials, including the hospital superintendent, were asked to leave the hall during the interaction, which lasted for about an hour.

The doctors reportedly presented their complaints and supporting material directly before the minister.

Following the representation, the State Health and Family Welfare Department initiated action and ordered the professor's transfer from Baroda Medical College to Government Medical College in Bhavnagar, with immediate effect.

In a statement, Pansheriya said, "The government would not compromise on the safety, dignity and mental well-being of students and doctors. The state had adopted a “zero tolerance” approach towards ragging, physical or mental harassment, and misconduct in medical educational institutions.

The minister said the evidence and complaints submitted by the resident doctors had been taken seriously and that he had directed immediate strict action.

“Such indiscipline or harassment will not be tolerated in any medical educational institution in Gujarat. Strict action will also be taken against those responsible in the future,” Pansheriya told IANS.

Professor's wife denies allegations

Commenting on the allegations against her husband, the wife, who is a clinical psychologist, told Indian Express, "There is an ongoing inquiry into the complaints filed by the students. A committee has already been formed. We have been patient about the inquiry and are awaiting the report. My husband has already submitted his reply to the committee and is cooperating in the probe. Why then were these residents not able to have patience and wait for the outcome of the probe?”

Denying the allegations, she said, "These students who have been alleging that he called them home for meals and was involved in ragging came to our home on multiple occasions—in the presence of my son and me. I have cooked meals for them myself. We never imagined that being nice would turn into a nightmare…We don’t know the motive behind the allegations."

The complaints come amid renewed attention to the issue of ragging and harassment of residents in medical colleges across Gujarat.

Medical Dialogues had reported that a first-year postgraduate medical student in the department of microbiology at the Government Medical College (GMC), Surat, committed suicide by hanging from the ceiling in his PG hostel room. The student had reportedly faced mental harassment and ragging by four senior doctors. After preliminary investigation, the college authorities suspended the four doctors for 6 months from the hospital, hostel, and all teaching activities and the police registered an FIR against them. 

The college administration also issued show-cause notices to four faculty members for alleged inaction and suspended Head of the Microbiology Department for 90 days for allegedly failing to prevent the ragging of the medico.

Apart from suspending the professor, the health department also issued a show-cause notice to GMC Surat Dean in connection with the incident.

Also read- GMC Surat medico suicide case: Microbiology dept head suspended, Dean gets showcause notice