GMC Surat medico suicide: 'Nayi naveli dulhan' remark, 4 faculty issued show-cause notice over alleged inaction on ragging

Surat: Following the suspension of four senior doctors over allegations of ragging and mental harassment of a first-year MD Microbiology medico who later died by suicide, the administration of Government Medical College (GMC), Surat, has now issued show-cause notices to four faculty members for alleged inaction.

Confirming the development, Gujarat Health Minister Praful Panseriya said in a statement that show-cause notices had been issued to four faculty members, including the Head of the Microbiology Department, for “failing to prevent such an incident."

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that a first-year postgraduate medical student in the Department of Microbiology at GMC Surat allegedly died by suicide by hanging from the ceiling of his PG hostel room.

The student had reportedly faced mental harassment and ragging by four senior doctors. He had joined GMC Surat in February after securing admission to the MD Microbiology programme. As a first-year postgraduate student, he was assigned emergency duty at New Civil Hospital and was scheduled to be on duty on August 9. However, he ended his life on the same day.

Following the incident, Gujarat Health Minister Praful Panseriya ordered an internal inquiry into the circumstances surrounding his death. The committee reportedly found evidence that the doctor had been mentally harassed and ragged by four senior resident doctors. Following the findings, the four senior doctors were suspended for six months from the hospital, the hostel, and all teaching and academic activities.

Apart from this, the process of registering an FIR is also underway. Officials told Deccan Herald that students have confirmed that the senior verbally abused them and illegally confined them to a room for an hour as a form of harassment.

Faculty members remarks to students

According to the inquiry findings, some first-year students had approached two faculty members on a Friday evening and complained about harassment by senior residents. At the same time, second-year residents had complained that the junior students were not completing the work assigned to them.

One faculty member reportedly responded to the first-year students by saying, “Aap log nai naveli dulhan ho, ye sab face karna padta hai”, meaning that they were like newly married brides and had to endure such treatment.

The inquiry committee reportedly held the faculty members responsible for failing to intervene and resolve the issues between senior and junior residents. It also observed that they failed to ensure a proper and harmonious academic environment, TOI has reported.

Following the inquiry, show-cause notices were issued to four faculty members of GMC Surat. The inquiry was conducted under the supervision of Additional Director of Medical Education and Research Dr Jayesh Sachde. New Civil Hospital Superintendent Dr Parul Vadgama, GMC Surat Dean Dr Jayesh Brahmbhatt and other senior doctors are part of the inquiry committee. The panel also included, a mamlatdar, a police inspector, a student representative, a Junior Doctors’ Association representative and a parents’ representative, among others.

The college council unanimously approved the committee’s report. The report was later submitted to the state government after a review focused on preventing similar incidents in the future.

Also read- GMC Surat MD Microbiology medico allegedly commits suicide, 4 doctors suspended for ragging