Rajasthan doctor blamed for patient’s death commits suicide

A doctor’s suicide over alleged harassment by a local goon in Dausa, Rajasthan has swung the state government into action and look for ways to prevent such incidents in future.

The victim, Dr Archana Sharma, ran Anand Hospital with her husband Dr Suneet Upadhyaya in Lalsot, Dausa. As per the police complaint filed by Dr Upadhyaya, local BJP leaders pressurised police into filing an FIR against his wife, which lead her to take the extreme step.

A few days back, a woman had died at the hospital during child birth. Following her death, the woman’s husband went back to his village with the body but returned sometime later with local BJP leaders, led by a local goon named Balya Joshi. They demanded action against the hospital management for death due to negligence.

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The local police reached the spot and promised probe. Dr Archana Sharma and Dr Suneet Upadhyaya were booked under IPC Section 302 (murder). These turn of events disturbed Dr Sharma and she committed suicide. Her suicide note read: “I love my husband and children a lot. Please don’t trouble them after my death. I have done nothing wrong and not killed anyone. PPH [Postpartum haemorrhage] is a known complication and so stop harassing doctors so much over it.”

After Dr Sharma’s suicide, Dr Upadhyaya put up a video explaining why the woman died in the hospital after delivery. He said the woman had a normal delivery but suffered massive Postpartum haemorrhage. They tried for two hours, but couldn’t save her. Dr Upadhyaya said the patient’s relatives knew of the efforts the hospital put in to save her.

Dr Upadhyaya said the hospital then arranged to send the body to her home. Meanwhile, Balya Joshi, a local goon, got in touch with the woman’s family and promised to give them a good compensation. “They kept the body outside the hospital and gathered a crowd of some 200 people. Local BJP leaders like Harkesh Matlana, Jitendra Gothwal and others joined the protest,” said Dr Upadhyaya, adding that Balya Joshi had been harassing them for the last 5-6 years. He said that Dausa police registered a complaint against Anand hospital under Joshi’s pressure. The news appeared in media and Dr Archana Sharma feared she would be put behind bars. Dr Upadhyaya said he tried to convince his wife that a mere complaint is not enough to send her to jail, but she got too scared and committed suicide.

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Dr Upadhyay told a media house that Joshi had protection from Dr Kirodi Lal Meena, a former MLA.

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday (March 30) removed Dausa Superintendent of Police Anil Kumar and ordered a detailed inquiry to prevent such incidents in future.

A delegation of doctors from the Indian Medical Association (IMA) met Gehlot and registered their protest. Some doctors called for a day-long state-wide bandh of medical institutions.