From Seniors' Harassment to Suicide, Medical Student Preethi Case Timeline

After battling for life for three days, Preethi, first year postgraduate student from Kakatiya Medical College in Warangal was declared dead by doctors at NIMS, Hyderabad at 9:10 PM. 

Preeti was found in an unconscious state in a room adjacent to one operation theatre in the state run Mahatma Gandhi Hospital on February 22, Wednesday.  After initial treatment succeeded in resuscitating her, she was shifted to the Nizam’s institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) in Hyderabad, where she continues to be in critical condition. 

On February 23, A bulletin from the hospital said ECMO and CRRT were initiated to support her deteriorating cardiac, pulmonary and kidney functions.

Health Minister T Harish Rao assured the best treatment for Preethi at the NIMS and said that a full investigation would be followed by stringent action against the culprits. Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan visited the NIMS the same day to enquire about the young doctor’s health and the treatment offered to her.

Police arrested Dr M A Saif, a second-year MD anaesthesia student at Kakatiya Medical College in Telangana’s Warangal district, on Friday, February 24.

Meanwhile, junior doctors at KMC-Warangal have called for a strike. Doctors were seen holding placards that read “Pray for Preethi, Stand with Saif”. Earlier, the Telangana Junior Doctors Association issued a statement extending support to Preethi’s family while condemning the allegations against Saif as false. Doctors have sought the charges against Saif to be dropped saying that such interactions between doctors of senior and junior batches were commonplace.

Warangal Police Commissioner Ranganath said the police had invoked sections of ragging going by its definition in the law. “It would be a common practice but even if one person felt targeted, it is ragging. Saif feels that he was only disciplining Preeti. She felt harassed at the workplace,” he said.

“She has apparently attempted suicide. Some injections were found there, including a sealed bottle of Succinylcholine used during surgeries. Preethi made a Google search - 'What happens when a healthy person takes Succinylcholine injection.' An opened bottle of another drug and a Fentanyl injection were also found there. Toxicology reports will reveal the drugs she actually consumed,” said Ranganath.

Preethi's father Dharavath Narender, an ASI with the Railway Protection Force, alleges that Saif had been harassing her since she joined the college in November. Narendar alleged the college authorities' inaction on his complaints against Dr Saif as having compelled his daughter to take the extreme step.

On February 27, Sunday, a hospital bulletin from NIMS said, Preethi had died despite many efforts to save her. 

Forces from all police stations along with task force and striking forces were deployed at NIMS as a preventive measure. 

Also Read: Warangal Medico Preethi Dies at NIMS Hyderabad