Two separate rallies were held in Thane and Palghar in Maharashtra on May 28 for action against those responsible for allegedly driving a tribal medical student to suicide in a Mumbai hospital by harassing her over her caste.

Dr Payal Tadvi, who belongs to a Scheduled Tribe (ST) community, had hanged herself in the hostel of a Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)-run medical college on May 22. Her family has alleged that she took the extreme step because of harassment over her caste by three doctors.

The rallies were held under the aegis of the Shramajivi Sanghatana. The protesters met district collectors at Thane and Palghar and handed them memorandums seeking stringent action against those responsible for Dr Tadvi's suicide. Police have booked Dr Ankita Khandelwal, Dr Hema Ahuja and Dr Bhakti Mehare under the Atrocities Act, the Anti-Ragging Act and the IT Act and section 306 (abetment to suicide) of the IPC.

The FIR filed after the second year PG student ended her life, stated that her seniors often threatened her, saying she wouldn't be allowed into operation theatres or allowed to perform deliveries. She was also mocked for being a tribal on WhatsApp groups.