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Dalit Bahujan Adivasi

Tribal medico ends life; faced harassment, ragging from senior

The police found that ragging was commonplace in the medical institution.

Preethi

Dharawath Preethi, a student of PG Anaesthesia in Kakatiya Medical College (KMC), Hyderabad died by suicide allegedly due to harassment by a senior student. After going through her chats, the Mattewada police have arrested Mohammed Ali Saif, her course senior. Saif has been arrested on charges of ragging, abetment to suicide and harassment under the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and Anti-Ragging Act.

Warangal Commissioner of Police A V Ranganath disclosed to the media that after investigations they found that there was a culture of senior students bullying their juniors in KMC like in other medical colleges and Saif particularly targeted Preethi with his high-handed behaviour, reported The New Indian Express.

Saif publicly made fun of her with the intention to hurt her on the college’s WhatsApp group. He even asked fellow students to stay away from her which led people boycotting her. Her father even complained to the Head of the Department of Anaesthesia and a warning was issued to Saif. The police have ruled out any religious angle in the matter.

Meanwhile, Preethi’s funeral was conducted on Monday amid heavy police deployment at her native Girni Thanda, a tribal hamlet, in Jangaon district. There were protesters from tribal organisations demanding exemplary punishment for the accused, Dr Saif as well as Rs. 5 crore ex-gratia and a Group-I cadre government job to one of the family members. The family has sought an impartial inquiry and fast track trial. Even activists of ABVP protested at KMC demanding punishment for the accused and were disbursed by the police.

The National Human Rights Commission and National Commission for SC / ST has taken cognisance and issued notices to the government, superintendent of MGM Hospital, Principal and head of department of anaesthesiology where Preethi was a student, reported NDTV.

Telangana Minister KT Rama Rao has assured strict action in the matter and accused BJP of politicising the matter. He said that “whether it is Saif or Satish”, those responsible would not be spared.

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