It took one death for Maharashtra to wake up to anti-ragging mechanism in colleges

Taking serious note of the recent suicide of 23-year-old doctor Dr Payal Tadvi, the state government has decided to form a committee at the state level to look into the anti-ragging mechanism in the medical college. The committee will help form fresh anti-ragging guidelines.

On May 22, Dr Payal Tadvi, who was pursuing second year MD in gynaecology at BYL Nair Hospital, had committed suicide due to harassment by the senior medical students. After the incident came to light, the Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) has suspended all the three accused doctors — Dr Hema Ahuja, Dr Bhakti Mehare and Dr Ankita Khandelwal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (OBGY) dept — from the MARD.

The association has also asked for suspension of the head of the department who was earlier approached by the medical student before committing suicide.

Dr Tatyarao Lahane, director of Directorate Medical Education and Research (DMER), said, "The state government has ordered to form a committee to frame new rules and punishment related to ragging in medical colleges in the state. It is not an inquiry committee. A three-member committee, which comprises of the head of Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER), Dr Dileep Mhaiskar, Vice-Chancellor of the Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS), and dean of the local government hospitals, has been set-up to look into ragging mechanism in college."

Dr Kalyani Dongre, Central President of MARD, said, "We have decided to suspend all the three accused doctors from Maharashtra Association of Resident doctor until further notice. We have also demanded suspension of Head of Unit, Dr Yi Ching Ling for not taking action when Tadvi approached him with a complaint against the trio alleging harassment."

The anti-ragging committee of BYL Nair Hospital held a meeting on Thursday to investigate the matter. Another follow-up meeting will be held on Saturday."Police officials in our anti-ragging committee have taken the matter under their jurisdiction. It was an internal issue, and we did not come to know about it from any of our resources. Had we known, we would have followed due procedure and Tadvi would not have taken this drastic step," said Dr RN Bharmal, dean of Nair Hospital.

List Of Shame

As per UGC anti-ragging helpline, Maha ranks 5th

• 53 Number of cases reported in the state has doubled in 2018 from 27 in 2013
• 308 Number of ragging cases reported across the state in the last 10 years

The Trigger

• Dr Payal Tadvi, a second-year resident doctor at the hospital’s gynaecology department, was found dead in her hostel room on Wednesday
• Her mother had filed a complaint with the Agripada police on Thursday against three third-year resident doctors — Dr Hema Ahuja, Dr Bhakti Mehare and Dr Ankita Khandelwal — for alleged harassment 
• The deceased was harassed by the three doctors as she belonged to a lower caste, alleged her family members
• The police booked them for abetment to suicide under the IPC and other sections under the Ragging Act and the Atrocities Act. The Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors has suspended all the three accused