Surat: Four resident doctors of Government Medical College, Surat, have been found guilty of ragging and suspended for six months in connection with the suicide of Dr Harsh Pandya, a postgraduate microbiology student.Dr Parul Vadgama, head of the anti-ragging committee, told TOI, “Based on the findings, four second-year resident doctors — Dr Nirali Vasave, Dr Anuj Maheshwari, Dr Dikshita Ghevariya and Dr Hina Bhut — have been suspended for six months for misconduct and serious negligence. They have been ordered to vacate the hostel immediately and barred from participating in academic activities.”The committee found that Dr Pandya took the extreme step after allegedly facing prolonged harassment by the four.The probe revealed that Dr Pandya and nine other first-year postgraduate microbiology students were allegedly subjected to verbal abuse, mental harassment, indecent behaviour and insults over several days. The senior residents allegedly confined the juniors to a room in the evenings and harassed them for one to one-and-a-half hours daily. The allegations were assessed by the committee in accordance with the National Medical Commission’s (NMC) anti-ragging guidelines.The matter had reportedly been brought to the attention of at least two faculty members on Friday, before Dr Pandya’s death. However, the faculty members allegedly failed to take the complaints seriously, according to the inquiry.The inquiry was conducted by a committee co-chaired by the college dean Dr Jayesh Brahmabhatt and medical superintendent Dr Parul Vadgama. It recorded complaints from nine first-year resident doctors and Dr Pandya’s father. During a marathon meeting from 8.30pm on Sunday to 4am on Monday, around 100 statements were recorded from senior residents, faculty members, technicians, housekeeping staff and other stakeholders of the microbiology department.The committee also found faculty members at fault for failing to intervene and resolve the tensions between senior and junior residents and for not creating a harmonious academic environment.Four faculty members, including microbiology department head Dr Sumaiya Mulla, Dr Sangeeta Rajde, Dr Yogita Mistry and Dr Latika Purohit, have been served show-cause notices. The college council unanimously approved the committee’s report, which was subsequently submitted to the state government after a review aimed at preventing a recurrence of such incidents.The committee comprised the dean, medical superintendent, doctors, a mamlatdar, police inspector, student representative, Junior Doctors’ Association representative and parent representative, among others.Two FIRs likely to be filed based on evidenceAfter the suicide of Dr Harsh Pandya and serious allegations by nine junior doctors against second-year students, all eyes are on the police probe. At present, Khatodara police are investigating the suicide based on an unnatural death case. It is likely that two FIRs will be registered soon. Deputy commissioner of police (Zone 4) Dr Nidhi Thakur told TOI : “In the investigation of the unnatural death, we are probing all angles. We will talk to the victim’s family members and his colleagues and may file an abetment to suicide case based on the evidence. If the college wants to file a complaint about the ragging, we will consider it. We have not yet registered any FIR.”“Nai Naveli Dulhan Ho”During the probe, the committee found that some first-year students had approached two faculty members on Friday evening to complain about the harassment. At the same time, second-year residents had also complained to the faculty that the juniors were not carrying out their assigned work. The complaints indicated clear tension between the two groups, but the faculty members allegedly failed to take the matter seriously or intervene.One of the faculty members reportedly told the first-year students, “Aap log nai naveli dulhan ho, ye sab face karna padta hai. (you are a newly wed bride, you have to face all this).The head of the microbiology department was also served a show-cause notice for failing to create a harmonious environment and address the growing tension among the residents.
