Maha Congress demands SIT probe into suicide of female doctor

Maharashtra Congress Wednesday demanded that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) must be formed and a probe be conducted under the supervision of a High Court judge into the suicide of female doctor after unbearable pressure and harassment, allegedly by former BJP MP Ranjitsinh Naik Nimbalkar.

Sampada Munde, a young physician from Beed district, was found hanging in a hotel room in Phaltan town on Thursday night.

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“Former BJP MP Ranjitsinh Naik Nimbalkar must be immediately arrested. The Congress will organise protests all over the state,” Maharashtra Pradesh Congress State President Harshvardhan Sapkal said after visiting the family of the doctor to offer his condolences.

Sapkal was accompanied by former minister Ashokrao Patil, National Youth Congress President Uday Bhanu Chhib, Maharashtra State Mahila Congress President Sandhyatai Savvalakhe, Maharashtra State Youth Congress President Shivraj More, and Beed District Congress Committee President Rahul Sonawane, among others.

A few days ago, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi spoke with the doctor’s mother and other members of the family and consoled them.

“Do not be afraid. We stand with you. The Congress party will exert pressure on the government to ensure justice for Dr Sampada Munde,” Rahul Gandhi had assured her family.

Speaking to media persons, Sapkal said, “Dr Sampada Munde was subjected to immense pressure to do wrongful acts and was severely harassed. Several incidents exposing former BJP MP Ranjitsinh Naik Nimbalkar’s hooliganism have already come to light. What is infuriating is that even before any investigation began, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis publicly gave a clean chit to Ranjitsinh Naik Nimbalkar. This is outrageous”.

He called for a thorough investigation into the suicide.

“A thorough probe should be conducted outside Phaltan, under the supervision of a senior woman officer. The Congress Party will not remain silent. We will take to the streets to ensure justice for Dr Sampada Munde. The Youth Congress has already staged a protest in Delhi and the Mahila Congress will soon launch statewide protests.”

“The role of the Maharashtra State Women’s Commission in this case is equally disappointing. Instead of meeting the victim’s family to gather facts, they first met the police and tried to cover up the matter. The Woman’s Commission should focus on addressing injustices against women, but instead, it chose to defend the police. Not a single representative from Dr Sampada Munde’s community has spoken up. During earlier incidents in Beed, a local MLA from the ruling party would speak to the media every day, but now he is silent. Pankaja Munde too has remained silent. She must speak up, setting aside political pressure from the Chief Minister,” Sapkal said.

“Even a social activist from Mumbai called Anjali Damania, who is otherwise vocal about various issues, has maintained silence about this matter. I appeal to the spiritual leaders of Narayan Gad and Bhagwan Gad to come forward and help this bereaved family get justice,” he added.