Puja, Photo Fight, Final Call For Help: Dead Doctor's Phone Reveals Details

In what could give a new turn to the investigation into the death of a 28-year-old doctor in Maharashtra's Satara, police have found she was texting one of the accused in the suicide abetment and indicated that she was on the edge. The victim, it is learnt, attended a puja at the accused Prashant Bankar's home before her death. She left after an argument and checked into the hotel, where she allegedly died by suicide.

The next day, her body was found in the hotel room. A note scribbled on her palm accused the now-suspended police sub-inspector Gopal Badane of sexually assaulting her. It also accused Bankar, a software engineer and the son of the doctor's landlord, of prolonged mental harassment. Both have been arrested.

According to Satara police chief Tushar Doshi, police have recovered chats between the doctor and the two accused, Badane and Bankar. Both have been arrested. While the doctor's communication with Badane stopped in March, she remained in touch with Bankar and was at his home before moving to the hotel where she died. Police have also found that a dispute between the doctor and the police inspector had been resolved through a meeting.

A Puja, And A Death

In an interaction with the media, Maharashtra Women's Commission chairperson Rupali Chakankar said the doctor visited Bankar's house for a Lakshmi Puja. "On Laxmi Pujan day, the deceased was at Bankar's house. Apparently, both had an argument over clicking photos, as the pictures were not properly taken. After the argument, the doctor left the house. Bankar's father went and brought her back home, but she left again to stay at a lodge," Chakankar said.

"The call records of the deceased and the two accused reveal that the deceased was in touch with PSI Badane till March, and there was no communication between them after that," said Chakankar.

The doctor, she said, sent messages to Bankar and indicated that she would take an extreme step. She is also learnt to have called him that night. The preliminary autopsy report suggested it was a case of suicide by hanging, she said.

Satara police chief Doshi confirmed that the woman doctor was in touch with Bankar before the incident and that they exchanged messages. "The probe is also underway into the rape allegations mentioned in the suicide note against PSI Badane, and their joint locations and chats are being examined," he said.

The Cold Complaints

In the months leading to her death, the doctor had alleged harassment by Badane and other police officers, but no proper follow-up took place. These complaints have now come under scrutiny.

On June 19 this year, she submitted a written complaint to the Deputy Superintendent of Police in Phaltan, naming Badane and other officers. She alleged that the cops were forcing her to issue false fitness certificates for accused in criminal cases.

This was followed by a counter-complaint in which Phaltan rural police accused the doctor of "obstructing a medical investigation". Several communications from the doctor said she was in extreme distress due to alleged harassment.

Those protesting in the aftermath of the doctor's death allege a systemic failure and stress that it's unfortunate that her repeated complaints went unheard and drove her to the edge.

The Political Row

The 28-year-old doctor's suicide has sparked a massive political row, with the Opposition targeting the Devendra Fadnavis government.

Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, has termed it an "institutional murder". A promising doctor daughter, who aspired to alleviate the pain of others, became a victim of the persecution by criminals entrenched in a corrupt system and power structure. The very authority tasked with protecting the public from criminals committed the most heinous crime against this innocent woman-rape and exploitation. "When power becomes a shield for criminals, from whom can justice be expected?" he asked.

Chief Minister Fadnavis has accused the Opposition of politicising the incident. "The police immediately arrested the accused. All the facts related to the case are coming out. We will not sit quietly until justice is given to our little sister. But in every matter, some people try to do politics. ... This is the case of our little sister ... no compromise will be made...," he said.