RMLIMS Lucknow doctor harassed with 5,000 messages, 1,000 calls; stalker arrested
Accused arrested
Lucknow: An assistant professor in the urology department at Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences (RMLIMS), Lucknow, reportedly went through months of harassment at the hands of a former patient, who sent her thousands of obscene messages and calls a day before finally turning up at her doorstep.
The 32-year-old doctor first came under harassment a few months ago when 41-year-old Mahesh Tiwari, a patient from Basti district, managed to get her number during treatment at the hospital. What began as polite messages soon turned into vulgar texts and relentless calls, as many as 5,000 messages and 1,000 calls in a single day, the doctor said in her police complaint.
When things became unbearable, the doctor on May 12 informed the 1090 Women's Power Line about this patient, but the authorities let him off with a warning. Months later, he resurfaced at the doctor’s doorstep on August 19, waiting near the lift. On August 21, he was arrested under Section 78 of BNS and Section 67 of the IT Act, 2008, and subsequently sent to jail.
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According to the complainant, the accused even threatened the doctor with dire consequences when she turned down his advances. She alleged that initially, the accused expressed gratitude for her treatment. But soon, messages became personal, then vulgar.
"When the doctor ignored him, his frustration turned into a series of calls and texts, approximately 1.000 calls and 5,000 messages. On May 12, the doctor called 1090 and complained. We called Tiwari and had warned him. He remained silent for a few days, but later again started harassing her," the SHO SK Singh said.
Sharing her experience with HT, the doctor said, “He would not stop. My phone didn’t stay silent for even a minute. It felt like living inside a horror film. But the story didn’t end there. He started stalking me in person, lurking around my flat on the hospital campus. He often started arriving at the OPD. I was terrified and stopped visiting my apartment alone out of fear. Every time I stepped outside, I felt haunted."
“On August 19, Mahesh Tiwari was following me when I was going from the OPD to my residence (Dr RMLIMS faculty apartments). When I was waiting for the lift, I saw him standing behind me. I realised that he had come with the intention of attacking. When I screamed, he started fleeing, but the guards caught him and handed him over to the police,” said the doctor in her FIR.
She added, “Sending thousands of messages does not show a stable mental condition. My husband and family members were worried about my safety. After this incident, I am mentally shaken, and I fear that my life is in danger."
