Mean remarks for going out for dinner the previous night, and a constant stream of insults in front of a patient the next morning may have pushed Dr Tadvi over the edge, says family
Dr. Payal Tadvi's mother, Abeda, on Monday revealed that the final straw that broke Payal was the humiliation she was subjected to on a Whatsapp group of medical students over a dinner outing on May 21. Her husband, Dr. Salman Tadvi, too, said Payal had cried bitterly on the day of her death, as the seniors had kept taunting her about the dinner.
With investigations into Dr. Payal Tadvi's suicide underway, her mother on Monday revealed that the final straw that broke Payal was the humiliation she faced on a Whatsapp group of medical students over a dinner outing she had on May 21.
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"On May 21, she had gone out for dinner. When one of the accused doctors saw her selfies posted in another WhatsApp group, she started humiliating her. She was accused of wasting time and not bothering about her patients as she had taken admission on tribal quota," said her mother Abeda Tadvi. "They told her, 'You are so shamelessly having food and grinning. I will show this photo to the dean and complain about it'," she added.
Also Read: Mumbai doctor's suicide: Accused trio made Payal cry all morning on May 22
As alleged by the family, Payal has been facing harassment for two whole years but the derogatory and deprecatory statements made on the group are what finally pushed her over the edge.
Threatened over dinner
"She was threatened that she would not be allowed into the operation theatre or perform deliveries and not be allowed to study just because she went out for dinner" said a weeping Abeda. Two of the accused, Dr. Hema Ahuja and Dr. Bhakti Mehar, were Payal's roommates for a few days until she was allotted a room to stay. "The harassment started then. They would throw away her stuff and use her bed sheet to clean their feet. When she complained, I suggested her to ignore and focus on her work," said Abeda.
Also Read: Constant barbs in WhatsApp groups led to Mumbai doctor's suicide
Parents to meet CM today
While the accused doctors have refuted the charges of racial discrimination and blamed workload on the hospital, her mother alleged that the doctors used to pressurise Payal to an extent that she couldn't even take bath for three to four days straight. "She would say that she stinks because of it and was subjected to verbal abuse even when she went to the canteen to have food. She would remain hungry through the day," Abeda said.
On Monday, the family received a call from the CM's office asking them to visit the city on Tuesday. The grieving parents plan to give a written application asking for an investigation into the matter. "We will reach Mumbai on Tuesday to meet the CM in Nair hospital," the mother said. On 23 May, the Agripada police registered a case against Dr. Ahuja, Dr. Mehar and Dr. Ankita Khandilwal under sections of the IPC, SC/ST Atrocities Act, Anti-Ragging Act and Information Technology Act, 2000.
Also Read: Constant barbs in WhatsApp groups led to Mumbai doctor's suicide
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