SV Medical College MD Pediatrics suicide: CID report confirms harassment by Professor

Tirupati: Following a thorough investigation into the suicide of the 30-year-old MD Pediatrics student of SV Medical College, Dr Bellam Shilpa, who had accused three professors of sexual harassment; the Crime Investigation Department (CID) has indicted a senior professor in the case.

ThHe move came after an investigation team of CID, which submitted its report, also named two other professors from the university for abetting the crime. A charge sheet is expected to be filed soon in the case.

CID SP R N Ammi Reddy recently made an official statement to the media and confirmed, “PG medico Dr Shilpa had committed suicide due to harassment by Paediatric HoD at SV Medical College.”

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported about Dr Shilpa’s suicide, where she was found hanging at her flat on 7th August, 2018. In April, 2018 the deceased medico had complained to Governor Narasimhan in writing that she was being sexually harassed by three professors from the paediatric department. Following this, the medical college management formed a committee in May to conduct an inquiry but failed to respond to her complaint.

Later, she lodged a complaint at Alipiri Police Station, but she withdrew it after a committee was constituted by the District Collector to probe into her complaint. However, the committee had delayed its report.

Meanwhile the accused professors had termed the allegations baseless.

The student soon failed in the post-graduate exams which further upseted the medico. She had told her friends that she was deliberately failed as she had complained against the professors. Upset over the whole stream of affairs, she allegedly took her own life by hanging herself.

The victim’s relatives alleged that the inquiry committee had not submitted its report and the three professors had gone to the media describing her as mentally unsound. They said the attitude of the professors had caused her mental agony and drove her to take the drastic step. The suicide triggered protests by students at the medical college demanding action against the professors.

Responding to the students’ agitation, the Medical Education Department suspended Dr Kumar, Head of the Pediatric Department at SV Medical College.

Considering the seriousness of the medicos’ response to the suicide of the deceased medical student and the accusations against the paediatric professors, the State Government handed over the case to the CID, Tirupati region, on August 10, who formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the case.

Read Also: SV Medical College: MD Pediatrics Student commits suicide, had alleged sexual harassment by Professors

The CID officials examined as many as 47 witnesses in the case. Now, after a thorough investigation, the CID SP Reddy disclosed the case investigation details to the media recently.

On the accusation where the deceased medico alleged that she was failed deliberately in the examinations, the SP stated, “Our cops verified the examination pattern of NTRUHS and examined some of the Professors associated with answer sheet evaluation.”

“As per SIT investigation, it is established that Dr Kumar used to behave rudely and indulge in oral communication with sexual overtones towards the deceased Dr Shilpa. When the deceased objected to such behaviour, differences cropped between the two,” the CID SP informed The Hans India.

“There are other victims of harassment by Dr Kumar. When Dr Shilpa and her husband approached the Principal to get the issues sorted out, he promised to do justice, but he failed to respond,” the SP mentioned adding that though the two colleagues of the accused professor did not harass her, they were supporters of him.

The SP stated that they had secured evidence to establish the offence of abetment to suicide against the accused professors.

Read Also: SHOCKING: CID Constable Shoots 3rd year MBBS Girlfriend, Commits Suicide