Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, extended his condolences and support to the family of a woman doctor found dead in a hotel room in Satara district, Maharashtra. He spoke with them over the phone, assuring his unwavering commitment to their fight for justice.
During their conversation, the doctor’s family members conveyed their urgent plea to Mr. Gandhi, urging him to pressure the government to establish a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to delve deeper into her untimely demise. They highlighted that a week had passed since her death and expressed grave concerns that crucial evidence might be compromised or destroyed.
Mr. Gandhi connected with the woman’s parents and siblings via phone, with Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal present during his visit to their village, Kavadgaon, in Beed district.
The Congress MP reaffirmed his promise to push the government vigorously for the formation of an SIT to thoroughly investigate the circumstances of the young woman’s death.
The 28-year-old doctor was discovered deceased in a hotel room in Phaltan town, Satara district, on the night of October 23, 2025.
The post-mortem examination indicated asphyxia, suggesting she had taken her own life. A note found on her palm reportedly accused Sub-Inspector of Police Gopal Badane of multiple instances of rape and Prashant Bankar, a software engineer, of mental harassment, according to police statements.
Both individuals were arrested on October 25, 2025. Police reported no evidence of forced entry into the hotel room, ruling out the presence of any other person during the incident.
However, the victim’s relatives have demanded the constitution of an SIT, alleging that vital data was deleted from her mobile phone after her death. Her uncle specifically claimed that her phone was accessed using her fingerprint post-mortem, leading to the erasure of what he believes was crucial information related to the incident. In solidarity with the family’s demand for an SIT probe, residents of Wadwani in Beed observed a complete shutdown on Tuesday, October 28, 2025, protesting the doctor’s death, who belonged to their region.