Maharashtra: Phaltan Doctor’s Death Sparks Questions Over Excessive Workload; Inquiry Underway

Satara, 29th October 2025: Authorities at the Phaltan Sub-District Hospital have confirmed that the woman doctor who died by suicide on October 23 had performed 113 postmortem examinations out of a total of 431 conducted at the facility since January 2023, when she joined as a contractual medical officer.

According to hospital records, the 30-year-old doctor had handled a significantly higher number of autopsies compared to her colleagues. The revelation has led to growing questions from her family members, who allege that she was overburdened with postmortem duties and may have faced pressure while handling sensitive cases.

At a press conference in Beed on Monday, the doctor’s sister questioned the allocation of work. “We want to know why my sister was repeatedly assigned postmortem duties when there were other doctors available. We also want a transparent inquiry into the postmortems she conducted, as she often mentioned being under pressure,” she said.

Hospital sources admitted that the number of autopsies conducted by her was disproportionately higher than that of other medical officers posted during the same period.

District Civil Surgeon Dr. Yuvraj Karape stated that no specific official had directed the doctor to take up postmortem work. “The superintendent had the authority to assign duties, and those directions were shared internally. The inquiry ordered by the Deputy Director of Health has revealed that she reported for duty far more frequently than her peers,” Dr. Karape said.

He further explained that the hospital currently has three permanent and three contractual medical officers. “She was relieved from her duties on at least three occasions — once when she was preparing for NEET-PG — but was reinstated each time at her own request because she preferred to continue in Phaltan. In fact, to accommodate her, one permanent doctor who was temporarily unavailable was replaced,” Dr. Karape added.

Medical Superintendent Dr. Anshuman Dhumal recalled that the doctor had actively participated in Diwali celebrations with hospital staff a day before the incident. “We advised her to take a few days off and visit her family since they live far away. She insisted on continuing her duty and was known to take multiple 24-hour shifts. Since January this year, she performed 36 postmortems, another doctor conducted 24, and I personally handled three despite being a gynaecologist,” Dr. Dhumal said.

Hospital data shows that the doctor conducted 30 autopsies in 2023, 47 in 2024, and 36 between January and October 2025. The inquiry team is now examining her workload, duty roster, and communication records to determine whether excessive work pressure or other factors contributed to her death.

No Foul Play in Phaltan Doctor’s Death, Confirms Satara SP; Custody of Accused Extended

The postmortem report of the woman doctor from Phaltan Sub-District Hospital, who was found dead on October 23, has ruled out foul play, according to Satara Superintendent of Police (SP) Tushar Doshi.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, SP Doshi said, “The postmortem mentions asphyxia as the cause of death. Ligature marks were found on her neck, which appear consistent with hanging using a dupatta. No other external injuries were detected on her body.” He added that the findings were in line with the ongoing investigation, and the time of death has been estimated at around 1.30 pm on October 23.

The 30-year-old doctor was discovered hanging from a ceiling fan in a hotel room near Phaltan hospital. Police said a note allegedly written on her left palm named two men — a police sub-inspector and her landlord’s son — accusing them of rape and mental as well as physical harassment. Both men have been arrested on charges of rape and abetment of suicide.

The body was sent to Satara Civil Hospital, where a medical team attached to the new government medical college conducted the autopsy. The report was submitted to the police on Tuesday morning.

Relatives of the deceased have questioned the delay in the postmortem and claimed they were not allowed to view the body before it was sent to Satara. The family alleged that the body was “hurriedly transported” from the hotel where she was found. The doctor’s remains were later taken to her hometown in Beed district for the last rites on Friday.

Meanwhile, during a court hearing in Phaltan on Tuesday, Public Prosecutor Kshama Bandhal sought an extension of police custody for the landlord’s son to retrieve additional documents and digital evidence. “We have obtained call data records of the accused and are analyzing them to determine the nature of their communication and possible coordination between the two accused,” Bandhal informed the court.

The court granted an extension of police custody till October 30, citing the ongoing probe. The landlord’s son was first arrested on October 25, followed by the sub-inspector later that night. Both men remain in police custody.

Defence advocate Sunil Bhongal opposed the extension, arguing that the prosecution had not provided new grounds to justify further detention.
SP Doshi further said that handwriting experts from the CID have been asked to verify the authenticity of the writing found on the doctor’s palm. “We are awaiting the forensic report to confirm whether the writing belongs to the deceased,” he added.