Behind doors, 18 Gujarat doctors complained of ragging. A transfer followed

What began as a surprise inspection of Vadodara’s largest government hospital turned into an extraordinary closed-door hearing where nearly 18 resident doctors approached Gujarat Health Minister Praful Pansheriya with allegations against a senior faculty member.

The complaints ranged from ragging and mental harassment to inappropriate messages and threats linked to their academic careers. Within hours, the professor named in the complaints was transferred out of Vadodara. The incident occurred at SSG Hospital and Baroda Medical College, where 18 resident doctors from the psychiatry department submitted a written complaint against Dr Chirag Barot, an associate professor, alleging physical and mental harassment.

Chirag’s wife, Dr Dhara Barot, spoke to the media and denied the allegations. The matter had earlier been raised before the psychiatry department’s anti-ragging committee, following which the complaints reached the health ministry, prompting Pansheriya’s visit on Thursday, sources said.

Addressing the media in Vadodara, Dhara, a clinical psychologist, said, “There is an ongoing inquiry into the complaints filed by the students. A committee has already been formed. We have been patient about the inquiry and are awaiting the report.

My husband has already submitted his reply to the committee and is cooperating in the probe. Why then were these residents not able to have patience and wait for the outcome of the probe?” Dhara questioned who would be held responsible if her husband took an extreme step.

“I am trying my best to help in this situation, but even as a clinical psychologist, I am facing a hard time as my husband is under severe stress and pressure…If my husband ends up taking some wrong step like the Surat case and my son and I are left alone, who will be responsible?

Why can’t this be a fair probe?” she said. She denied the allegations against her husband. “These students who have been alleging that he called them home for meals and was involved in ragging came to our home on multiple occasions—in the presence of my son and I.

I have cooked meals for them myself. We never imagined that being nice would turn into a nightmare…We don’t know the motive behind the allegations,” she added. During his visit, Pansheriya asked senior officials, including the hospital superintendent, to leave the hall before holding the closed-door interaction with the resident doctors for about an hour.

The doctors placed their complaints and supporting material directly before him. The interaction was followed by swift administrative action. The Health and Family Welfare Department transferred the faculty member from Government Medical College, Vadodara, to Government Medical College, Bhavnagar, with immediate effect through an internal department communication issued on Friday.

In a statement, Pansheriya said the government “would not compromise on the safety, dignity and mental well-being of students and doctors”. The state, he said, had adopted a “zero tolerance” approach towards ragging, physical or mental harassment, and misconduct in medical educational institutions.

“The complaints and material placed by the resident doctors have been taken seriously and immediate action has been ordered. Such indiscipline or harassment will not be tolerated in any medical educational institution in Gujarat and that strict action would be taken in future cases as well,” he added.

Aditi Raja is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, stationed in Vadodara, Gujarat, with over 20 years in the field. She has been reporting from the region of Central Gujarat and Narmada district for this newspaper since 2013, which establishes her as a highly Authoritative and Trustworthy source on regional politics, administration, and critical socio-economic and environmental issues.

Expertise: Core Authority & Specialization: Her reporting is characterized by a comprehensive grasp of the complex factors shaping Central Gujarat, which comprises a vast tribal population, including: Politics and Administration: In-depth analysis of dynamics within factions of political parties and how it affects the affairs in the region, visits of national leaders making prominent statements, and government policy decisions impacting the population on ground.

Crucial Regional Projects: She consistently reports on the socio-economic and political impact of infrastructure projects in the region, especially the Statue of Unity, the Sardar Sarovar Project on the Narmada River, the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail bullet train project as well as the National Highway infrastructure.

Social Justice and Human Rights: Her reporting offers deep coverage of sensitive human-interest topics, including gender, crime, and tribal issues. Her reports cover legal proceedings from various district courts as well as the Gujarat High Court (e.g., the Bilkis Bano case remission, POCSO court orders, Public Interest Litigations), the plight of tribal communities, and broader social conflicts (e.g., Kheda flogging case).

Local Impact & Disaster Reporting: Excels in documenting the immediate impact of events on communities, such as the political and civic fallout of the Vadodara floods, the subsequent public anger, and the long-delayed river redevelopment projects, Harni Boat Tragedy, Air India crash, bringing out a blend of stories from the investigations as well as human emotions.

Special Interest Beat: She tracks incidents concerning Non-Resident Gujaratis (NRIs) including crime and legal battles abroad, issues of illegal immigration and deportations, as well as social events connecting the local Gujarati experience to the global diaspora.

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