Amaravati: A lady pharmacist, who attempted suicide unable to bear harassment by a hospital executive in Andhra Pradesh’s Rajahmundry town on March 23, succumbed at a hospital on Friday. Nallapu Naganjali, who was on a ventilator for the last 12 days, was declared dead by doctors at KIMS Bollineni Hospital in Rajahmundry.
Naganjali, a Pharm-D student who was doing an internship at the same hospital, had self-administered an anaesthesia injection on March 23. She was a native of Routhu Gudem village in Eluru district. Police later arrested Duvvada Madhav Rao Deepak, Assistant General Manager of the hospital, in the suicide case. He was allegedly harassing the pharmacist.
According to the police, Naganjali and Deepak were in a relationship. The woman had told her family that Deepak sexually exploited her in the name of love and threatened her not to reveal this to anybody. On a complaint by Naganjali’s father, police registered a case against Deepak and arrested him. Following Naganjali’s death, student groups staged a protest demanding justice for the family.
Meanwhile, Rajhmundry City MLA Adireddy Vasu consoled the family of Naganjali and assured them that he would make all efforts to see that the guilty get the harshest punishment. The MLA said he would request Home Minister V. Anita and Education Minister Nare Lokesh to provide Rs 2 lakh financial assistance to the family.
Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan has expressed his condolences to the family of Naganjali. He described the incident as “unfortunate” and assured the family that the state government would stand by them. The actor-politician said that legal action is being pursued against the individual responsible for the student’s death.
The police have already apprehended the Assistant General Manager of the hospital, Deepak, based on a note left by Naganjali, which is under investigation. The Deputy CM emphasised that the government is committed to taking necessary measures to safeguard students and young women in the state, ensuring that such incidents do not recur.