‘Raped Four Times by Relative’: Shocking Details Emerge in Maharashtra Doctor Suicide Case

A 29-year-old woman doctor working at a government hospital in Maharashtra’s Satara district allegedly died by suicide after months of sexual assault and harassment by two men — a police sub-inspector and her landlord’s son — officials said on Friday.

The doctor was found hanging in a hotel room in Phaltan on Thursday night, October 23. A message scrawled on her palm in Marathi, accessed by Hindustan Times, accused a sub-inspector from the Phaltan City police station, identified as Gopal Badane, of raping her four times. Badane, now suspended, was reportedly a relative of the victim and also hailed from Beed district.

The note also named another man, Prashant Bankar, the son of her landlord, alleging sustained mental and physical harassment over the past several months.

The victim had been working as a contractual medical officer at a government hospital in Phaltan. Police said both accused have been booked, and her body sent for post-mortem examination.

“An FIR has been registered based on the complaint from the victim’s family against both accused under sections related to rape and abetment of suicide,” said Satara Superintendent of Police Tushar Doshi, adding that search operations are underway to trace the absconding men.

‘She was pressured to make fake medical reports’
The doctor’s cousin alleged that she was under pressure from certain police and political figures to prepare “medically fit” certificates for arrested individuals and to falsify post-mortem reports.
“She was being pressured to make reports without even seeing the patients,” the cousin said, claiming she had earlier lodged a complaint in June or July against three police officers, including the sub-inspector accused of rape.

A senior Satara police official confirmed that the doctor had indeed made a complaint during that period but claimed “it was about a different issue.”

According to a PTI report, the doctor had exchanged text messages with Bankar shortly before her death.

Political backlash
The case has sparked political outrage across Maharashtra. Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant accused the Devendra Fadnavis-led government of “failing to protect women,” while Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader Sushma Andhare demanded the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the case.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has directed police to take strict action against those found guilty.