A 23-year-old Dalit house surgeon at the Government Medical College in Siddipet district of Telangana allegedly died by suicide after being cheated by a senior resident doctor who later refused to marry her, citing caste differences, police officials said on Monday.
The young doctor, who was pursuing her internship at Government Medical College, Siddipet, reportedly took the extreme step on January 3 by self-injecting a herbicide in the women’s hostel on the college campus. She fell unconscious and was immediately rushed to a hospital in Siddipet by her roommates.
Hospitalisation and death
Due to the severity of her condition, she was later shifted to a state-run hospital in Hyderabad for advanced treatment. Despite medical intervention, she succumbed in the early hours of January 4, officials said.
Based on a complaint lodged by the victim’s elder sister, police registered a case under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The accused, a senior resident doctor working at the same institution, has been arrested.
Alleged betrayal and caste discrimination
Police investigations revealed that the deceased came in contact with the accused in July last year during her internship. He allegedly promised to marry her but later refused, reportedly citing caste differences. Officials said the accused belongs to the backward classes, while the woman belonged to a Scheduled Caste community.
The refusal and alleged deception are believed to have caused severe emotional distress, leading her to take the drastic step, police added.
A story of struggle and merit
The deceased hailed from a poor family in Jogulamba-Gadwal district. She studied in a social welfare school before securing admission to MBBS at the Government Medical College in Siddipet in 2020.
Police described her as a bright student who excelled not only academically but also in sports and extracurricular activities. Her parents work as daily-wage labourers, while her elder sister is employed as a software engineer.
Her death has triggered anguish among students, faculty members and social justice advocates, with many calling for strict action and better safeguards against caste-based discrimination and emotional exploitation within educational and professional institutions.
Investigation continues
Police said further investigation is underway, including examination of digital communication and statements from colleagues and hostel residents, to establish the sequence of events leading to the incident.