On August 27, Dr. Rajendra Rupnavar ascended an electrical tower near the Sion railway station and communicated with the police below, expressing that he was facing disciplinary action at work and had been dismissed from his position. Emergency responders attempted to convince the 28-year-old doctor, who had arrived in Mumbai from Satara just two days prior, to descend safely. However, he allegedly tried to take his own life outside one of the city’s busiest suburban train stations.
Rescue teams successfully brought him down alive, and he was transported to Sion Hospital. Tragically, four days later, he succumbed to a cardiac arrest.
The circumstances surrounding the death of this young physician, who hailed from a farming background, are now under investigation by police, prompted by demands from his family for a Special Investigation Team (SIT) inquiry. His brother and colleagues claim that Rupnavar experienced intense pressure after he declined to issue a medical fitness certificate necessary for a firearm license, which subsequently led to his suspension and an internal inquiry, exacerbating his distress.
The allegations have also drawn attention to the administration at the Sub-District Hospital in Phaltan, where Rupnavar served as a contractual medical officer.
According to his brother, Sagar Rupnavakar, the ordeal began on July 27, when an individual identified by the family as Prasad Kondedeshmukh reportedly visited the Phaltan hospital accompanied by a bouncer, requesting a medical fitness certificate for a gun license.
Rupnavar allegedly declined to provide the certificate, citing technical issues. Sagar claimed, “My brother refused because of these difficulties. The individual threatened him, asserting he was a former minister’s aide and would ensure my brother faced repercussions at the hospital.”
A heated exchange ensued, as per the family’s account, with Sagar alleging that Kondedeshmukh later approached Rupnavar’s superior, Dr. Leela Madane, to secure the certificate.
The following day, on July 28, Rupnavar was suspended, and a departmental inquiry was launched against him, according to Sagar, who emphasized the troubling timing of these actions. They believed he was being punished for his refusal to issue the certificate.
“Coming from a family of farmers, he worked hard to earn his medical degree. He felt despondent after being suspended without justification,” Sagar stated.
Friends and colleagues of Rupnavar indicated that he was determined to address the situation rather than walk away. Dr. Amol Bansude, a medical intern at Pune’s Sassoon General Hospital and a friend of Rupnavar, mentioned that he had discussed the pressures facing him.
“I advised him to let it go and move on,” Bansude recounted, adding that he had even suggested Rupnavar leave Phaltan for opportunities in Pune. “But he was steadfast; he believed in justice and wanted to see it served,” he said.
Rupnavar, who came from a humble background and worked diligently to complete his medical education, had been employed at the Phaltan hospital for approximately one and a half years. His colleagues noted that he began sharing his experiences of alleged harassment and pressure through various social media platforms.
On July 29, he shared a suicide note written on his palm as his WhatsApp status. Dr. Apurv Dalvi, the national coordinator for the All India Medical Students Association, was alerted to the situation.
Dalvi mentioned that Rupnavar had attempted to reach out to him earlier. “I regret being unable to respond immediately due to my involvement in a protest in New Delhi regarding foreign medical graduates,” Dalvi said.
Following the alert to the Indian Medical Association (IMA), its Maharashtra president, Dr. Santosh Kulkarni, contacted Medical Superintendent Dr. Leela Madane. “This occurred three weeks ago, and we requested a thorough inquiry. Dr. Madane assured us that he was doing well and staying at his brother’s house,” Kulkarni noted.
Rupnavar’s family claims that his distress had been evident long before his trip to Mumbai. According to Sagar, his brother had written that he would resort to extreme measures if his superiors were not suspended within a month. “He did what he wrote,” Sagar alleged.
The family asserts that Rupnavar felt he had been unjustly punished for fulfilling his professional obligations. Meanwhile, friends noted his increasing agitation.
On August 25, Rupnavar departed from Satara to Mumbai, with his family stating that he aimed to bring his concerns to the attention of higher authorities. However, they claim he was unable to meet with the relevant officials.
Two days later, around 8:30 AM, the Dadar Government Railway Police received a report about a man who had climbed an electrical tower near Sion railway station. Police and fire brigade teams were dispatched immediately.
Senior police inspector Anil Kadam said, “We were informed about a distressed individual on an electric tower. We alerted the fire department, and two teams were dispatched. We attempted to calm him, but he was in no state to listen.”
The individual identified himself as Rajendra Rupnavakar and informed police of the inquiry against him and his job removal. He then allegedly tried to hang himself.
Fire brigade personnel managed to rescue him using an automatic staircase and transported him to Sion Hospital, where he was admitted to the ICU in critical condition. His family was notified, and his brother reported that doctors initially succeeded in reviving him.
“On August 27, he was stabilized, and I saw him improving. However, he passed away the next day,” his brother lamented.
