KMC Warangal harassment victim Preethi laid to rest, Maoists demand action

JANGAON: A large number of people including family members, villagers, well-wishers besides leaders of various political parties bade a tearful farewell to junior doctor Dharawat Preethi at her funeral in her native village in Jangaon district on Monday.

A first-year PG student of Kakatiya Medical College in Warangal, Preethi (26) was declared dead at the Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) on Sunday night after five days of treatment following her suicide attempt at the MGM Hospital in Warangal last week. She reportedly attempted suicide, unable to cope with the harassment of her senior Dr Saif and the continued indifference of college HoD and other authorities in ending her misery.

She was found in an unconscious state while on duty at the MGM Hospital in Warangal. She was later shifted to NIMS for better treatment. Saif, the accused, has since been arrested and was sent on remand. The NIMS, in a statement on Sunday night, declared Preethi dead, stating that her life could not be saved despite their best efforts. Though it was believed that Preethi had forced a lethal injection on herself, her family alleged that it was not a suicide but a case of murder. They suspect that Saif and other seniors might have forcibly given her a lethal injection.

Preethi’s body was shifted to her native village, Girne Thanda in Jangaon district, in the early hours of Monday following a post-mortem examination. Her remains were transported amid heavy police security to avoid any untoward incidents. Heart-rending scenes were witnessed at her house in the village as family members and relatives wailed over her body and wept inconsolably.

Later, her last rites were performed at a designated place in an agricultural field owned by her family. Her body was taken to the cremation site in a procession and on a tractor with hundreds of people trailing it. She was laid to rest as per the family tradition.

Leaders of various political parties including former MP Ravinder Naik of the BJP, Janga Raghava Reddy (Congress), local BRS functionaries, GCC Chairman Gandhi Naik, student leaders from Osmania University and a large number of people from the nearby villages attended the funeral and bade a tearful farewell.

MRPS founder Manda Krishna Madiga too took part in the funeral procession and carried her body on his shoulder for some distance.

Maoists demand action against culprits

Meanwhile, the Communist Party of India (Maoist) reacted to Preethi’s tragedy and demanded action against those responsible for the death of the junior doctor. The outlawed extremist organisation released a letter to this effect in the name of its combined Warangal division secretary Venkatesh.

Even though preethi died by suicide, the authorities tried to hush up the matter while shielding Saif, who is accused of harassing Preethi, the Maoists alleged. The Maoist outfit also observed that ragging had become rampant in colleges.