Satara: In a major development in the suspected suicide case of a young woman doctor from Satara district, Maharashtra, police on Saturday arrested Prashant Bankar, the son of her landlord, from Pune. Bankar was one of the two individuals named in the doctor’s harrowing suicide note, which was partly written on her palm, officials confirmed.
The 28-year-old medical officer, originally from Beed district and posted at a government hospital in Phaltan, was discovered dead in a local hotel room late Thursday evening. Her death has sparked outrage across Maharashtra after details emerged that she had accused a police sub-inspector, Gopal Badane, of repeatedly raping her and Bankar, a software engineer, of persistent mental harassment.
Investigators said the woman had allegedly contacted Bankar shortly before her death. “Digital evidence indicates that she made a call and exchanged messages with the accused minutes before the incident,” said a senior police official.
Following the recovery of the note, a case was registered against both Badane and Bankar under sections related to rape and abetment to suicide. Bankar was tracked down by a special team from Phaltan police and brought back from Pune for questioning.
“The accused has been taken into custody and further interrogation is in progress,” the officer added, noting that Badane has already been suspended from service pending a detailed inquiry.
Preliminary investigation suggests that the doctor had faced continuous harassment over several months. Sources say she had previously lodged complaints with senior police officials, alleging pressure from certain officers to issue false medical certificates — complaints that apparently went unaddressed.
The case has triggered widespread anger in the medical community, with health professionals demanding stronger safeguards and accountability mechanisms for doctors working in rural and semi-urban government facilities.
Police have sent the doctor’s electronic devices for forensic analysis to verify the sequence of events leading up to her death. Authorities also plan to record statements from colleagues and acquaintances to piece together the timeline of alleged harassment.
The tragedy has reignited debate over workplace safety for women in public service, as calls grow louder for a transparent and time-bound investigation into the case.
