New Delhi: A resident doctor at a private hospital in Delhi allegedly died by suicide at his residence in Malviya Nagar on Friday, reported news agency ANI quoting a senior police official on Saturday. “A thorough search of the deceased’s room was done and a suicide notice was found. However, no reason for suicide was mentioned in the note. Further probe is on,” said DCP South Delhi.

Earlier, the former chief of a top medical body tweeted that Dr Vivek Rai took the drastic step due to severe stress amid the deadly second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. “He was a very brilliant doctor from Gorakhpur (in Uttar Pradesh) and helped to save hundreds of lives during the pandemic,” former Indian Medical Association (IMA) chief Dr Ravi Wankhedkar tweeted.

Dr Vivek Rai had been looking after Covid patients at the private hospital for the last one month, the ex-IMA chief said. He had been dealing with seven to eight critical patients every day, Dr Wankhedkar said, adding the young doctor developed depression after more and more people kept dying.

“Due to this frustrating situation he was into, he took such a difficult decision of ending his own life than living with the suffering and emotions of the people who died on his watch,” Dr Wankhedkar said, adding that Dr Rai is survived by his wife, who is two-month pregnant.

“This brings into focus the tremendous emotional strain while managing Covid crisis. This death of a young doctor is nothing short of murder by the ‘system’ which has created frustrations with shortage of basic healthcare facilities. Bad science, bad politics and bad governance,” the former IMA president tweeted.

(With inputs from ANI)