Eighteen resident doctors from the psychiatry department of SSG Hospital and Baroda Medical College have accused an associate professor of alleged physical and mental harassment, prompting the Gujarat Health Department to transfer the faculty member to Bhavnagar with immediate effect.
The allegations were made during a closed-door meeting with Gujarat Health Minister Praful Pansheriya during his visit to the government hospital in Vadodara. The minister reportedly asked senior officials, including the hospital superintendent, to leave the room before speaking to the postgraduate students.
During the nearly hour-long meeting, the residents submitted written complaints and supporting material alleging ragging, inappropriate gestures, late-night messages and threats linked to their academic careers and theses.Female resident doctors also alleged that the professor, identified as Dr Chirag Barot, made inappropriate comments about their appearance and clothing.
Hours after the meeting, the Health and Family Welfare Department issued an order transferring Dr Barot from Government Medical College, Vadodara, to Government Medical College, Bhavnagar, with immediate effect.
Action Amid Focus on Ragging
The swift action comes amid increased scrutiny of ragging complaints in medical colleges across Gujarat. The issue has gained further attention following the recent death by suicide of a postgraduate medical student in Surat.
The complaints against Dr Barot had reportedly first been raised before the psychiatry department’s internal anti-ragging committee before being taken up with the Health Department.
Dr Barot’s Wife Denies Allegations
Meanwhile, Dr Barot’s wife, Dr Dhara Barot, a clinical psychologist, denied the allegations while speaking to reporters in Vadodara. She questioned the decision to transfer her husband while an official inquiry into the complaints is still pending.Dhara said her husband had cooperated with the internal committee and submitted his response to the allegations.
Expressing concern about the impact of the controversy on her husband and family, she appealed for a fair investigation and said the matter should be examined without prejudice.The allegations against Dr Barot are yet to be established, and the outcome of the inquiry will determine the facts of the case.