BJP Leader Arrested for Alleged Abetment of Rajasthan Doctor's Suicide
Dr Archana Sharma died by suicide after the police booked her following the death of a woman during childbirth.
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Two days after a doctor from Rajasthan's Dausa died by suicide following alleged harassment over a pregnant patient's death, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Jitender Gothwal was arrested for alleged abetment of suicide.
Taking to Twitter, Gothwal said that he was arrested from his Jaipur residence in the wee hours of Thursday and has been charged under Section 302 (abetment of suicide) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Gothwal claimed that the state government was "taking revenge for sending a train ticket to Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi."
Dr Archana Sharma, an obstetrician, allegedly died by suicide on Tuesday after the police booked her and her husband Dr Suneet Upadhyaya under IPC Section 302 (murder) following the death of 22-year-old Asha Bairwa during childbirth at their private hospital in Dausa district's Lalsot on 28 March.
According to the doctors, the patient died of PPH (postpartum haemorrhage).
Allegations Against Gothwal
Gothwal's arrest comes after Dr Suneet Upadhyay told The Quint that the patient's family returned to the hospital along with the body and staged a dharna outside the hospital at the behest of a local leader Shivshankar Joshi alias Balia Joshi.
In a video message released soon after her death, Dr Upadhyay said: "As the funeral preparations were being carried out at the patient's house, Shivshankar (Baliya) Joshi went there and instigated the family for getting a good compensation. He got the body back and kept it outside the hospital. He then gathered the crowd and several other BJP leaders including Rakesh Matlana, Jitender Gothwal, and others."
Alleging that Joshi has made attempts of extortion from the hospital in the past, Dr Upadhyay further said that an FIR was also registered against him.
Dr Upadhyay claimed that the police has taken no action in the extortion FIR against Joshi due to pressure from senior BJP leader Dr Kirodi Lal Meena.
Taking to Twitter on Tuesday, Gothwal had shared pictures from the protest site and said: "Reached Lalsot immediately to ensure justice for the family of Asha Bairwa who died due to medical negligence while being operated. We protested for two hours and also gave a compensation of Rs 10 lakh to the family."
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