Around 4,000 doctors from the Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) went on a one-day mass bunk in 14 government medical colleges across the state on Saturday from 8am onwards demanding for a probe and compensation to the family of a doctor who committed suicide in Government Medical College, Solapur.

Their other demands included transfer of the hospital;s dean and fulfillment of all sanctioned senior posts in bond services. Dr Santosh Wakchaure, president of the MARD said, “We met the medical education minister Dr Jitendra Avhad who assured us that he will put up a proposal that Rs.50 lakh should be given to the Dr Kiran Jadhav’s family. All resident doctors have also decided to donate one day’s stipend to the victim’s family.”

“The government has also given us a written assurance to fill all vacant posts and our mass bunk will be called off on Sunday morning at 8am,” he added.

Dr Jadhav committed suicide allegedly after mental harassment by senior doctors. Nearly 2,000 resident doctors from Mumbai were a part of the strike. Members of the MARD from civic-run Sion and KEM hospitals were also a part of the mass bunk. Dr Avinash Supe, dean of Sion hospital said that though only 27 surgeries were conducted on Saturday. “Patients who were to undergo surgery were affected but we managed to treat patients in the Out Patient Department (OPD) and professors were posted at the casualty. Only 14 major surgeries were conducted though,” he said.