A day after nursing student Narayani Avasthi, 26 years of age, was found hanging in her hostel bathroom, two explanations are being offered for her death
The nurses had worked double shifts at Jaslok Hospital on Aug 29
A day after nursing student Narayani Avasthi, 26, was found hanging in her hostel bathroom, two explanations are being offered for her death. Did she commit suicide because she failed her exams, as Jaslok Hospital claims? Or was it because seniors were bullying her for refusing to join them in requesting for leave?
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Illustration/Uday Mohite
Narayani and the other nurses had worked double shifts at Jaslok Hospital on August 29, when the city was paralysed by torrential rain. Following this, all the nurses decided to apply for compensatory time off, but Narayani did not sign their memorandum.
Also Read: Mumbai: Nursing student allegedly commits suicide in her hostel room
This invited harsh remarks and ragging from her seniors for days. Narayani kept apologising to them, but the seniors paid no heed.
She blamed ragging
Narayani hanged herself in the hostel bathroom on Saturday morning, some time between 7 and 9 am. According to highly placed sources in the police, Narayani left a suicide note mentioning the series of events that pushed her to end her life. The Gamdevi police, who have registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR) in the matter, remain tight-lipped on the contents of the suicide note.
Sources said the 26-year-old clearly stated in her suicide note that this ragging is what had pushed her over the edge. She wrote that she was bullied yet again on Friday, a day before her death.
"It is still not clear whether Narayani intentionally didn't sign the memorandum for leave or if she forgot to do it. This drew the wrath of her seniors, who kept taunting her and did not communicate properly with her," said an officer.
"Narayani repeatedly apologised, but reportedly there was no peace from her seniors on the topic, which depressed her further and may have resulted in her suicide," the cop added.
Jaslok blames results
The administration of Jaslok hospital and nursing college have offered a very different explanation for Narayani's death. According to the hospital authorities, Narayani's grades had been low since her admission in 2014, and this year, she had also flunked the third year exams. The results were released in May, and she would have had to appear for the second attempt some time this month or the next.
A source from the hospital said, "She was happily rehearsing for Onam celebrations with her seniors a day earlier. Narayani was one of the main persons in a skit. One of her roommates said that the evening before her death, Narayani had some discussion with her uncle about academics and other personal matters."
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