surat-medic-dies-by-suicide-4-doctors-suspended-over-ragging

Four resident doctors at Surat Medical College have been suspended for six months following allegations of ragging involving first-year postgraduate students, a day after a 29-year-old medical student died by suicide.

 

The action was taken by the college’s anti-ragging committee after an eight-hour investigation that began on Sunday evening and continued until 4 am on Monday. The committee’s decision was subsequently approved by the College Council and submitted to the Gujarat government.

 

The four suspended doctors — Nirali Vasave, Anuj Maheshwari, Dixit Ghewaria and Hina Bhut — have also been ordered to vacate the hostel immediately and barred from academic activities during the suspension period.

 

The college has also issued show-cause notices to four faculty members, including the Head of the Microbiology Department, over the matter.

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The action followed written complaints by nine first-year PG students, who alleged mental harassment, verbal abuse and indecent behaviour by the four resident doctors. The complaints were also supported by the father of the deceased student, according to officials.

 

The student, identified as Dr Harsh Pandya, a first-year PG student of Microbiology from Gujarat’s Aravalli district, was found dead in his hostel room on Sunday.

 

Following the incident, Gujarat Minister of State for Health Praful Pansheriya constituted a high-level committee headed jointly by the dean and medical superintendent of the Civil Hospital to examine the allegations.

 

Medical Superintendent Dr Parul Vadgama confirmed that the nine students had specifically named the four suspended doctors in their complaints.

 

Police have registered an Accidental Death report and are investigating the student’s death. Khatodara police inspector N V Bharwad said further legal action against the suspended doctors would be considered after the police receive and examine the anti-ragging committee’s report.

 

The college said the measures were intended to address the allegations and prevent the recurrence of such incidents.