RML doctor commits suicide, police suspect depression

New Delhi: A junior resident doctor of Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital allegedly committed suicide in his flat in central Delhi's Old Rajender Nagar. Police sources said that they suspect depression behind the reason of suicide. The deceased was found dead by one of his fellow doctor.

According to police, the deceased was identified as Siddarth Shankar Mahapatra, a first-year post graduate student in the department of Anaesthesiology at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) in RML hospital, and was a native from Odisha.

Police sources said that they have found a note in which Mahapatra had written about how he was unhappy with his existence and wanted to end his life.

Through the note, the deceased hinted at not being satisfied with life.

"Life is a delusion. It seems like space, all empty. The physical matter, I feel like disappearing from this planet. I am unable to satisfy my hunger (sic)," the letter read.

According to a senior police official, this note cannot be considered as a suicide note.

Moreover, chances of depression cannot be denied at this moment but the investigation was going on from all angles. Sources in hospital claimed that a syringe and a medicine was also recovered.

According to his collegues who requested anonymity, Mahapatra, apparently, was unable to cope up with the work stress at the hospital. Police said that they are yet to ascertain whether he took the extreme step due to personal or professional reasons. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Mandeep Singh Randhawa stated that that Mahapatra lived along with two roommates, who are doctors of the same hospital. "While one of the roommates had gone to Jharkhand, the other one was on night duty. He returned home from duty in the morning and found Mahapatra hanging from the fan and alerted the police," said the DCP.

Police said they were alerted about the incident at 8:38 am. The spot was also inspected by a team from the crime branch. His family has been informed, the police said.

According to his colleagues the deceased was a "quiet student". A senior hospital official said Siddharth was "talking medicines for depression and used to also undergo Electro Convulsive Therapy" to help him with the problem.