Satara doctor suicide: Family says phone wiped using her finger after death; WhatsApp activity raises suspicion

NEW DELHI: The family of a 28-year-old woman doctor, who allegedly died by suicide in Satara district last week, has raised concerns over possible tampering with her mobile phone after her death. They claim that someone used her fingerprint to unlock the device and deleted crucial information related to the case.The doctor, originally from Beed district and posted at a government hospital in Satara, was found hanging in a hotel room in Phaltan town on the night of October 23. In a suicide note written on her palm, she alleged that sub-inspector Gopal Badane raped her multiple times, while Prashant Bankar, a software engineer, mentally harassed her. Both men were arrested on October 25.Speaking to PTI on Monday night, the victim’s uncle said, “We were informed about the doctor's death by hanging, but by the time we reached the spot (hotel room), her body had already been taken to the hospital. We later found out that a suicide note was written on her hand.”He further claimed, “We suspect that her mobile phone was tampered with after her death. Before we arrived at the spot, someone had used her fingerprint to unlock the phone and erased vital information related to the incident. Her WhatsApp 'last seen' status appears to show activity after her death, which raises further suspicion that the phone was operated by someone else after her death.”The family has demanded that the case be transferred to a Beed district court to ensure an impartial investigation. They also submitted a memorandum of demands to Dr Omprakash Shete, the state government’s representative coordinating with them.Dr Shete visited the doctor’s native place on Monday evening and assured the family that chief minister Devendra Fadnavis would be briefed on the matter to ensure justice.Meanwhile, residents of Wadwani in Beed observed a bandh on Tuesday, demanding a special investigation team (SIT) probe into the alleged suicide of the woman doctor.