Delhi doctor found dead in duty room, note points to caste-marriage stress
A 35-year-old doctor was found dead in a duty room at Delhi government's Aruna Asaf Ali Hospital, with officials suspecting suicide after a note was
A 35-year-old doctor was found dead in a duty room at Delhi government's Aruna Asaf Ali Hospital, with officials suspecting suicide after a note was recovered from the spot. Police said the doctor, identified as Dr Simarpreet Singh Anand, was a senior resident in the hospital's anaesthesia department. Officials said Anand appeared to have been under emotional stress after his family opposed his marriage to a colleague because they belonged to different castes. A post-mortem by a board of doctors will determine the exact cause of death, while the investigation is continuing. Read Full Story According to police, Anand was on night duty from Saturday 8 pm to Sunday 8 am and was active till around 11 pm before going to duty room number 109.
When he did not come out after his shift ended, colleagues tried to contact him by phone and knocked on the door. After there was no response, hospital authorities were informed. The room, which was locked from inside, was forced open at around 9 am. Anand was found unconscious on the bed and taken to the hospital's emergency department, where doctors declared him dead on Sunday. A police source said, "A cannula was found inserted in Anand's left hand, which had been placed by a technician assistant around 10 pm on Saturday at the doctor's request during his shift." The district crime team and the Forensic Science Laboratory, Rohini, examined the room and recovered syringes, empty drug vials, a three-page crime note and a diary, sources said.
The source added, "The note said that Anand was in a relationship with a female colleague from Madhya Pradesh, but their marriage could not take place as their families opposed the alliance because they belonged to different castes." Police said the doctor wrote that he had been under emotional stress over the issue. Originally from Ludhiana in Punjab, Anand had completed his MD in anaesthesia and had been working at the hospital for about three years. He was selected for Delhi government service in 2023 and was living in rented accommodation in Lajpat Nagar, while his family stayed in Ludhiana. After the incident, Anand's uncle alleged that he had been murdered and levelled accusations against a woman doctor at the hospital.
Police, however, said there were no external injury marks on the body and that the suicide note was recovered from the room. The room has been sealed and forensic evidence collected, while a board of doctors will conduct the post-mortem as the investigation continues. Ends
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