Anti-ragging Committee Confirms Harassment Drove Preethi to Suicide

WARANGAL: The Anti-Ragging Committee of the Kakatiya Medical College (KMC) confirmed that the first-year postgraduate student in the Department of Anaesthesia Dharavat Preethi died by suicide as she was subjected to mental harassment. It specifically mentioned the name of Dr M A Saif, senior postgraduate student in the Department of Anaesthesia, subjecting Preethi to mental harassment.

During the meeting, Head of the Department Nagarjun Reddy was summoned to give his version. He reportedly told the committee that he had given counselling to Preethi and Saif separately. The committee concluded that the medico was subjected to harassment. Action would be taken for those responsible for it would be taken in accordance with recommendations to be made by the University Grants Commission (UGC). Thirteen of 14 members in the Anti-Ragging Committee attended Wednesday's meeting.

It may be recalled that Preethi attempted suicide on February 22 in Warangal. She breathed her last after battling for life for five days at NIMS hospital in Hyderabad. The Warangal police arrested Saif for abetting Preethi to commit suicide. The police also invoked Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against Saif.

KMC principal Dr D Mohan Das confirmed that the committee had come to the conclusion that the medico had died by suicide due to mental harassment. The committee would submit its report to the UGC and the National Medical Commission.

Meanwhile, Saif would be taken into four-day police custody for interrogation. A local court permitted the police to interrogate him in their custody. 

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