The suicide of a resident doctor at AIIMS Jodhpur has sparked protests on the campus, with other resident doctors staging a sit-in outside the OPD and refusing to resume work until their demands were addressed.

As the stir entered its third day on Friday and the OPD remained closed until further notice, AIIMS Jodhpur director Dr Govardhan Puri visited the protest site and tried to speak to the doctors.

In one of the videos, Dr Puri could be seen folding his hands in an appeal to the protesting doctors, but they remained firm on their demand for the resignation of those they held responsible for the circumstances leading to Yadav’s death. Puri was subsequently seen leaving the site.

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The protesting doctors said their colleague, Raj Naresh Yadav, had died by suicide due to the increasing work pressure.

Barmer MP Ummeda Ram Beniwal said the indefinite strike has crippled emergency and OPD services.

Earlier, on Wednesday, the protesters demanded a public apology from the administration over the death, financial assistance for Yadav’s family and the resignation of the Executive Director. They also reiterated their demand for the formation of a Resident Doctors’ Association (RDA).

The resident doctors said their demand for an RDA had been accepted by the administration, but discussions were still underway on other demands.

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The doctors later took out a candlelight march on the AIIMS campus.

Earlier, on Wednesday, representatives of the management committee held discussions with the resident doctors. However, as the talks failed to resolve the issue, doctors continued their protest.

‘He was a good student’

A doctor and a faculty member at AIIMS Jodhpur, on condition of anonymity, said, “He (Yadav) was a good student and had completed his MBBS from AIIMS Jodhpur. He was in PG and we didn’t expect this to happen.”

Explaining the sequence of events, he said, “Yadav went to have lunch on September 23 and when he did not return to duty, his batchmates called him up. We heard the phone ring from the washroom whose door was broken down… we informed his family members. It was an unfortunate incident but it is not right to ask for the resignation of the director. Faculty and residents are working together to make this a good place but internal politics should not impact learning.”

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MP Beniwal posted on X, “The death… is an extremely tragic and serious incident. The government and the ministry should sensitively consider the rightful demands of the family of the deceased doctor, including appropriate compensation. However, it is unfortunate that some are using the cover of this tragic incident to target the AIIMS Director and stage a protest.”

He said, “This indefinite strike has crippled emergency and OPD services, causing distress to patients and their families. I appeal to Union Health Minister J P Nadda to take immediate cognizance of the entire matter.”