MP: 14-weeks pregnant junior doc on 36-hr shifts, no medical leave, berated as 'slacker' kills self with anesthesia

A tragic incident has shaken Gandhi Medical College (GMC) in Bhopal, where a 27-year-old junior doctor, Bala Saraswati, ended her life after being compelled to work non-stop for an exhausting 36 hours. The incident came to light on Monday when her lifeless body was found in the worship room of her home. Bala Saraswati, a third-year Gynecology student at GMC, had reportedly been enduring immense pressure and taunts from three senior female doctors in her department, alleges her husband. Jai Vardhan Chowdhary, her husband says that she was labeled as a ‘slacker’ by her seniors who humiliated her in front of her juniors. This consistent behaviour led to her severe depression and ultimately her untimely death. The events leading up to the tragedy unfolded on a Sunday when the couple was enjoying a leisurely stroll and lunch at a hotel in Habibganj. However, their peaceful time was interrupted when Saraswati received a message summoning her back to the hospital for duty. She rushed back immediately, only to return home late in the evening after fulfilling her demanding obligations. The husband alleges that the pressure on Bala Saraswati had been mounting as her thesis was facing rejection, and she was granted a mere six-month extension. Moreover, her medical leave request on the basis of her 14-month pregnancy had been denied, further exacerbating her stress. Overwhelmed and unsupported Bala penned a heart-wrenching suicide note on her mobile phone, detailing the emotional torture she endured. The note also mentioned that she had sent the same to one of her friends on WhatsApp. In the note, Bala Saraswati expressed her love and gratitude to her parents and husband, but she also held the three senior female doctors responsible for her death. She wrote of being taunted despite giving her heart and soul to her work and stated that she could never live up to their expectations, no matter how much effort she put in. The bereaved family and friends gathered at Mercury, the city’s mortuary, where they demanded justice for Saraswati’s death. They urged the concerned authorities to take appropriate action against the accused senior doctors. In response to the tragic event, all 52 junior doctors of the Gynecology department initiated a strike on Monday afternoon, demanding accountability and justice. Dr. Sanket Seete, president of the Junior Doctors Association, asserted that they will continue the strike until Aruna Kumar, the HOD of the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, either resigns or is suspended during the investigation. As of now, 250 junior doctors from Gandhi Medical College have joined the strike in solidarity.