A 31-year-old first-year postgraduate resident doctor in the department of anaesthesia, Dr. Raj Nilesh Yadav, died under mysterious circumstances on Tuesday inside the premises of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Jodhpur. His body was recovered from a hospital washroom, prompting police to suspect suicide as the primary cause. In the wake of this tragic loss, resident doctors at the medical facility initiated an indefinite strike on Wednesday. The protesting doctors have put forward several demands before the authorities, including Rs 5 crore in financial compensation for the bereaved family, strict institutional accountability, and systemic improvements in working conditions. They have affirmed that their demonstration will persist until all grievances are addressed.
Routine OPD Stalled While Emergency Operations Continue
The collective cease-work by resident doctors has brought regular outpatient department (OPD) functions to a complete standstill across AIIMS Jodhpur. Despite the disruption to scheduled clinics and consultations, the protesting medical staff decided to keep essential critical services running. Emergency OPD units and unscheduled surgical interventions are operating without interruption to ensure that critically ill patients do not suffer. Hospital authorities have noted that urgent medical attention remains available for life-threatening cases.
Doctor Found Unconscious in Washroom During Duty Hours
Dr. Raj Nilesh Yadav was performing his assigned duties inside the operation theatre on Tuesday as a first-year postgraduate resident in anaesthesia. According to police details, he stepped away to use the washroom during an afternoon break around 1:00 PM. When he failed to return after an unusually long duration, his concerned colleagues launched a search and dialled his mobile phone. Hearing the phone ring repeatedly from within the locked washroom, the hospital staff broke open the door. They discovered Dr. Yadav lying completely unconscious inside. He was immediately rushed into the emergency department, where attending physicians formally pronounced him dead.
Recovery of Syringes and Police Investigation
Investigating officers soon arrived at the scene to collect physical evidence. Nitin Dave, station house officer of Basni police station, stated that a few syringes were recovered from the spot. Investigators suspect that Dr. Yadav may have administered a lethal pharmaceutical injection into his system. However, the exact cause of death will be definitively confirmed only once the post-mortem report and forensic analyses are completed. The station officer also confirmed that no suicide note had been recovered from the location so far.
Stand-off with Administration and Silent Demonstration
As news of the incident spread, family members of the deceased doctor arrived at the healthcare institute. An intense stand-off unfolded during discussions between the grieving family and AIIMS Director Dr. Goverdhan Dutt Puri, leading to several hours of impasse regarding the conduct of the post-mortem examination. Following the eventual departure of the mortal remains, resident doctors gathered at the institution's porch to hand over a formal memorandum of demands to the director. Medical students and resident doctors subsequently staged a silent demonstration wearing tape over their mouths to highlight unmanageable workloads and excessive duty hours. Demonstrating solidarity, the AIIMS president observed a two-hour work boycott on Wednesday, which was preceded by a condolence gathering where faculty and hospital staff paid tribute to Dr. Yadav.
Key Demands Raised by Protesting Resident Doctors
Alongside a financial compensation package of Rs 5 crore for the family of Dr. Yadav, the striking doctors have demanded immediate settlement of all applicable benefits, pending dues, institutional insurance, and organizational support. Furthermore, their list of key institutional demands includes
- An unconditional public apology from the hospital administration acknowledging systemic failures.
- Admission of alleged administrative oversights accompanied by punitive action.
- Complete transparency in future corrective measures designed to avert similar tragedies.
- Fixing administrative accountability on the executive director alongside a demand for resignation.
- Formal and institutional recognition for both the Resident Doctors Association and the student union.
- The establishment of a structured, regular dialogue mechanism between administration officials and representatives of resident doctors and students.
