The autopsy report of Dr. Payal Tadvi, a 26-year-old resident doctor at the BYL Nair Hospital in Mumbai which is a government-owned hospital, shows that her death was caused by a neck injury.

Her autopsy report found a ligature mark on her neck, under the “provisional cause of her death” the autopsy stated that an “evidence of ligature mark over her neck” was found.

A court in Mumbai sent Hema Ahuja, Bhakti Mehar, and Ankita Khandelwal to 2 days in police custody after the family of Dr. Payal Tadvi claimed that her death should be treated as a murder case and not suicide.

Nitin Satpute, the representing lawyer of the family of Dr. Payal Tadvi, said “From the circumstances of her death and bruise mark on her body, we can say that it must be a case of murder and not of suicide. Police must investigate this case in the lines of a murder investigation. The police should be given 14 days’ time for that.”

He added, “The accused had taken her body to some other place and later it was brought to hospital so there is a suspicion of tampering with the evidence.”

The case is currently being handled in a sessions court in Mumbai by Magistrate RM Sadrani.

Prosecutor Jay Singh Desai, said, “The accused are superior to almost every witness in the case. Witnesses are afraid of the accused to give their statement. This case may create social unrest if not investigated properly. The police have to retrieve WhatsApp communication from the phones of the accused.”

The lawyers of Hema Ahuja, Bhakti Mehar, and Ankita Khandelwal claimed that Dr. Payal Tadvi committed suicide and added that the three Doctors were not aware of the caste of the deceased.

Sandip Bali, the lawyer of Bhakti Mehre, has asked to bring in all the medical reports.

Mr. Bali added, “As the intervener claimed that this is a murder case, I will emphasize that let all medical reports come in.”

The lawyer of Bhakti Mehar added that the claims of the mother of the deceased are not valid and is not supported by any proof, hence this case should be considered as a suicide case.

Abad Ponda, the lawyer of Hema Ahuja and Ankita Khandelwal called the claims of Payal Tadvi’s mother as “false”.

The mother of Payal Tadvi claimed that her daughter was harassed by Hema Ahuja, Bhakti Mehar, and Ankita Khandelwal on the basis of her caste.

Advocate Abad Ponda added, “Accused were not aware that the deceased got admission under any quota so they did not know her caste.”

Hema Ahuja, Bhakti Mehar, and Ankita Khandelwal have been arrested for allegedly harassing Dr. Payal Tadvi.

Dr. Payal Tadvi belonged to the Scheduled Tribe Community, she was found dead inside her hostel room in the BYL Nair Hospital on 22 May 2019.

The BYL Nair Hospital in Mumbai, which is owned by the government, has informed the anti-ragging committee to launch an investigation about the incident.

The MARD (Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors) have also suspended Hema Ahuja, Bhakti Mehar, and Ankita Khandelwal.

The three suspended doctors filed a request letter to the association and asked them to launch a fair probe.