Dr Payal Death Case: All 3 Mumbai doctors held for Dr Payal Tadvi ‘suicide’; college confirms harassment

All the three female doctors have been arrested by the Mumbai police amid country-wide protests over the death of doctor Payal Tadvi. All of them are accused of abetting 2nd year medical student for suicide and were arrested by Agripada Police on Tuesday night. Dr Payal Tadvi hanged herself in her hostel room on May 22 after being repeatedly harassed by her seniors and casteist slurs.

The accused Dr Bhakti Mehar was arrested on Tuesday afternoon followed by Dr Hema Ahuja arrest late night. Dr Ankita Khandilwal was being arrested in the early hours of Wednesday by the team probing the matter.

However, all the three accused doctors had denied the allegations levelled against them by Dr Payal’s mother Abeda Tadvi, who claimed that her daughter killed herself after being unable to bear harassment since months by them.

Meanwhile, Dr Tadvi’s husband Salman has alleged she is being murdered. Both have demanded "strictest action" against the three women doctors. Payal belonged to the Tadvi Muslim Bhil Scheduled Tribe community.

In a shocking development, a report based on statements from 30 people, including Payal’s family and colleagues has found evidence of harassment and casteist slurs made by the three seniors, according to Indian Express reports.

All of the accused doctors have been named in the FIR filed under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, IPC sections for abetment to suicide and Maharashtra Prohibition of Ragging Act, 1999.

Meanwhile, amid nationwide protests over abetment of suicide, the Maharashtra State Commission for Women has also taken cognisance in the matter. It has issued a notice to the hospital seeking probe in ‘castiest slur’ angle and demanded a reply within 8 days.

A 26-year-old Dr Payal Tadvi, a second-year student of Gynaecology at the BYL Nair Hospital in Mumbai, was found hanging inside her hostel room on May 22. Dr Tadvi’s mother claimed that her daughter was repeatedly harassed by three senior doctors, who hurled casteist slurs at her and even embarrassed her on a WhatsApp group.

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