Pune Gynecologist Found Dead on Highway; Suicide Suspected
In a shocking incident, a 44-year-old gynecologist was found dead near her car in the Islampur area of Sangli district, along the Pune–Bengaluru National Highway, on Tuesday evening.
Found Motionless on the National Highway
The gynecologist, a resident of Bibvewadi in Pune, had reportedly told her family she was leaving for work. She lived with her husband and their two children—a son in Class 10 and a daughter in Class 7.
Reports suggest she had been battling depression since the COVID period, after the couple’s clinic in Mulund, Mumbai, shut down. Sources said she had been working at a multidisciplinary hospital in Pune but was currently on leave.
On the day of her death, a passerby reportedly alerted the police after finding her motionless inside her car. The Islampur police team rushed to the spot and took her to the nearby sub-district hospital, where doctors declared her dead.
What Investigations Revealed
Police scanned CCTV footage from toll booths and private establishments, which showed her driving alone from her home in Pune to Nipani, before halting near the spot where she was later found.
A surgical blade was reportedly found at the spot. Initial postmortem reports revealed four cuts on her wrist and faint marks on her neck, possibly an attempt to harm the jugular vein, though the neck wounds were not deep.
The time of death has been estimated between 7:30 and 8:00 p.m., and profuse bleeding from her wrist is suspected to be the cause.
The police also found a trail of blood from the driver’s seat to the back of the car, where her body was lying. This suggests she may have stepped out of the vehicle after injuring herself.
As per media reports, Inspector Sanjay Harugade of Islampur Police Station said, “Initial evidence indicates she was driving alone from Pune towards Nipani. All the CCTV footage from tolls and nearby establishments also supports that she was travelling solo. A surgical blade was recovered from the scene. It appears she may have harmed herself inside the car, then exited and collapsed near the vehicle.”
A case has been registered under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which covers inquiry into unnatural deaths, including suicide, homicide, accidental death, and suspicious deaths. Police have not ruled out the possibility of suicide.
Orders for Detailed Investigation
Neelam Gorhe, deputy chairperson of the Maharashtra Legislative Council, has called for a detailed investigation into the incident. She contacted the Sangli Superintendent of Police, Sandeep Ghuge, to verify whether the doctor had taken such an extreme step due to any threats or external pressure. She also urged police to examine her mobile phone, call logs, emails, social media chats, and CCTV footage to uncover the full picture.
SP Ghuge told The Times of India,
“We have not received any complaint so far regarding the incident. The doctor’s family is in grief. We have raised a query with the Islampur sub-district hospital and medical authorities about the injury marks on her body, and they will share their opinion. We are gathering all technical evidence.”
Sandeep Ghuge, Superintendent of Police, Sangli
A spokesperson from the hospital where she was working said the doctor had been associated with them for about two months but had been on leave for the past 15 days. They extended their heartfelt condolences.
What It Highlights
Investigations are still underway to find the exact cause behind her death. While the reason will hopefully be uncovered soon, this case has already brought attention to a much larger issue—mental health.
It also puts focus on the kind of support systems doctors have around them. While they treat others, their own mental health often goes unnoticed.
(Rh/Pooja Bansal/MSM/SE)
