AIIMS SCHOLAR ATTEMPTS SUICIDE, BLAMES SUPERVISOR

NEW DELHI : A research scholar at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) attempted suicide on Sunday evening, alleging harassment by his supervisor.

“He had tried to overdose on sleeping pills and was brought to the emergency department of AIIMS last evening. He is stable now and is admitted under the psychiatric department of the hospital,” said Yaklesh Gupta, vice-president of Society of Young Scientist, an association of nearly 750 research scholars and associates at AIIMS.

Hindustan Times is withholding the name of the scholar.

The scholar had joined the department in August 2013 and allegedly has been facing harassment since. “There were several issues: the doctoral committee evaluation that is required for the fellow to get funds was constantly delayed leading to financial strain, apart from academic problems,” Gupta said.

In a letter to the director on Monday, the scholar said he was asked to work on a sample in the lab, which he couldn’t finish because of inadequate equipment. The next day when the supervisor came to know about the incomplete task, she allegedly threatened to hit him. “This was the nail in the coffin, which completely shattered my self-confidence and provoked me to take the extreme step to end my life,” the scholar said in the letter.

He alleged that the supervisor had verbally abused him publicly on many occasions. “She has done this earlier with other students also by keeping their manuscript and when they leave the PHD, incorporates her daughter’s name in those papers,” the scholar alleged in his complaint.

“A committee has been constituted by the AIIMS director under dean (academics), which has to submit a report within a week. The first meeting was held Monday evening,” the hospital said in a statement.

AIIMS said it is in the process of starting a wellness centre and a 24x7 helpline for helping students and residents.