MUMBAI: A 28-year-old doctor allegedly died by suicide after injecting himself with a concoction of medicines at BYL Nair Hospital on Monday night. Aurangabad resident, Dr Bhimsandesh Tupe, was a first year post-graduate student in the anaesthesia department of the same hospital.
This is the second instance of a suicide being reported from the institute in less than two years. Dr Payal Tadvi, a second year gynaecology student, had died by suicide in May 2019, which her family had alleged was driven by casteism.
Hospital authorities said Tupe had returned from Aurangabad on Sunday after visiting his father, who had suffered a paralytic attack. He resumed work on Monday and even assisted in four to five surgeries through the day. A police officer said Tupe, who was on duty in the wards, returned to his hostel room on Monday evening after informing colleagues that they could call him whenever needed. However, when calls went unanswered, colleagues broke open the door of his hostel room and found him motionless with two vials lying nearby, said an officer.
“A C-section was to be carried out for which he was needed. When he didn’t respond to calls, his colleagues went to his room and broke it open to find his body,” said dean Dr Ramesh Bharmal. He said Tupe was known to be a jovial person and excelled at work.
“We haven’t got any complaint of ragging from his family,” the dean said, adding the drastic step taken by Tupe has come as a shock even to his older brother, who is an orthopaedic surgeon. A Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors representative said they don’t suspect foul play as of now.
“No suicide note has been found. His phone is locked and we will call an expert to examine it,” added the officer. The officer said they found two vials from the room. He had injected himself in both the arms, said police.
Police said last week a PG student from the same hospital had attempted suicide.