The 26-year-old pediatric student from Shri Guru Ram Rai Institute of Medical and Health Sciences was discovered dead in his hostel room on May 17.
In a fervent social media campaign, the student’s family and friends have accused his professors of harassment and cited excessive working hours as contributing factors to his suicide.
The doctor’s father has pointed fingers at the college’s management committee and three specific individuals, holding them accountable for his son’s death. Following his complaint, the police registered an FIR against Dr. Utkarsh Sharma, Head of the Pediatrics Department, and Professors Ashish Sethi and Bindu Agarwal under Section 306 of the IPC, pertaining to abetment of suicide.
“My son joined the college in October 2023. Shortly after, Utkarsh Sharma, Ashish Sethi, Bindu Agrawal, and the management committee began harassing him. They made him work 36-hour shifts even when he had a 104-degree fever. My son told me that Utkarsh Sharma rejected his thesis twice and demanded 500,000 rupees to pass. He was insulted in front of patients, and Bindu Agrawal mentally tortured him,” the Father alleged.
“He called me at 10 am on May 17, saying, ‘Take me away, or I’ll commit suicide’. We assured him we would come the next day and urged him not to do anything drastic,” the Father added.
That night, the father received a call from Utkarsh Sharma, informing him that his son was admitted to the emergency ward. Later, around 10:40 pm, he received another call stating that his son’s body was in the mortuary. Alleging foul play, the father claimed that when he arrived, students told him the lights in his son’s hostel room had been off for 15-20 minutes and the room had been cleaned.
In response to the uproar, the college’s management stated they are seeking an impartial investigation and are cooperating fully with the police. They have called for a thorough inquiry, including the examination of phone records, WhatsApp messages, and the deceased’s social media activity.
