Hyderabad: Mother of first-year postgraduate medical student K Suresh on Friday alleged that sustained harassment may have led to his death at Osmania Medical College, claiming that her son had recently complained of ragging by senior students but feared reporting it.“My son was not someone who would die by suicide out of fear. He recently told us over the phone that some seniors were ragging him. When we said we would come there and speak, he asked us not to, saying the harassment would only increase if a complaint was made,” Nagamani said, demanding a thorough investigation.The allegation came a day after the 26-year-old MS General Surgery student was found dead in his hostel room under suspicious circumstances on Thursday, triggering protests by family members and tribal organisations at Osmania General Hospital the same day. Family members and tribal community leaders gathered near the mortuary and, for some time, prevented officials from shifting the body for postmortem, insisting that action be taken against those responsible. Police later intervened, pacified the protesters, and conducted the autopsy under tight security.‘Back-to-back shifts’Nagamani also alleged that her son was made to work back-to-back shifts, including night duties. However, Osmania Medical College principal M Raja Rao told TOI that in the last three months since Suresh joined, he had worked only three night duties, with the rest being day shifts. “There is no such thing as ragging in the college, and that too in postgraduate studies, no chance,” the principal said.Rao also said an inquiry committee had been constituted into the incident, headed by Gandhi Medical College principal Dr K Indira. Afzalgunj police said a case of suspicious death had been registered based on a complaint filed by Nagamani. Investigators said all angles, including allegations of ragging, academic stress, and mental health concerns, were being examined.Suresh hailed from Bheemlagani Thanda in Kurvapally panchayat of Jadcherla mandal in Mahabubnagar district. He was the elder son of Ramchander and Nagamani and had completed his MBBS from a private medical college in Mahabubnagar before joining the postgraduate programme at Osmania around three months ago.Investigating officer SI M Subhash said Suresh had wanted to pursue postgraduate studies in General Medicine but joined General Surgery after securing a lower rank. He was reportedly unhappy with the course allotment and had been under emotional stress in recent weeks. He added that Suresh had been consulting a psychiatrist in Banjara Hills and was on medication.
