Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, 25 Oct

Relatives of a woman government doctor, who committed suicide allegedly after rape and harassment in Maharashtra's Satara district, on Saturday demanded capital punishment for the two men named by her in a note, including a cop.

The 28-year-old physician, posted at a sub-district hospital, hanged herself in a hotel room in Phaltan town of the western Maharashtra district on Thursday, and left a note on her palm, accusing a police sub-inspector (PSI) of rape and a software engineer of mental harassment.

She complained multiple times about harassment, but her grievances were not addressed, a relative alleged while talking to a news channel.

The deceased hailed from Wadvani taluka of Beed district in the Marathwada region and was posted in Phaltan.

Another relative, who is also a doctor, said, "Police told us about the incident (suicide) and we went to the hospital (where the body was brought). Being a doctor, I told them I would remain present for the autopsy. That time, I saw the suicide note on her palm and conveyed this to the police. I suggested that forensic experts should do the autopsy."

A third relative claimed the victim was pressured to change medical reports at the hospital where she worked.

"Political people in Phaltan often asked her to change medical reports as she used to be regularly on autopsy duty. She had complained multiple times against the PSI (named in the note), but her complaints were not looked into," the relative stated.

"A medical officer tortured the lady doctor. He used to assign her autopsy duty repeatedly," the kin claimed.

"Just apprehending the accused is not enough. They should be hanged to ensure justice to the doctor and her family," emphasised the relative.

"If justice is not done, how will other professional women do their duty without fear or pressure. What example are we presenting to people? How will women pursue education under such circumstances?" asked the kin.

Software engineer Prashant Bankar, accused of mental harassment by the victim, was arrested in Pune on Saturday, police said.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve hit out at Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who also holds the home portfolio, over the doctor's suicide and the name of a police officer cropping up in the case.

"There is a need for women's security more than that of 'Ladki Bahin' (a financial scheme for women from low-income families). If people who flourished under the wings of Fadnavis are harassing women in such a manner, then Fadnavis has failed as the Home Minister and should resign," Danve wrote on X.

The former Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council posted an RTI application and a handwritten complaint of the doctor on the social media platform and asked what action Fadnavis is going to take in both matters.

Danve also asked about the identity of two PAs who, he claimed, connected the lady doctor to an MP over the phone.

"What action did the dean or superintendent (of the hospital) take on the lady doctor's complaint?" he sought to know.

In another post, Danve appealed to National Commission for Women chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar to intervene in the case.