Police have registered a first information report (FIR) against a senior doctor of a government hospital in Latur district of Maharashtra for allegedly instructing a colleague to “kill” a Covid-19 patient during the peak of the pandemic in 2021, officials said on Thursday.
An audio clip of the purported conversation between the accused, Dr Shashikant Deshpande – then additional district surgeon at the Udgir Government Hospital in Latur – and Dr Shashikant Dange, who was posted at a Covid-19 care centre, surfaced on social media, reported news agency PTI.
Several hospitals were crowded with patients and resources were scarce when the second wave of Covid-19 had hit the country.
The patient who has allegedly been referred to in the clip, Kausar Fatima, had later recovered from the disease, PTI reported.
In the conversation, Dr Deshpande is allegedly heard saying: “Don`t allow anyone to go inside, just kill that Dayami woman.” The accused was referring the woman as Dayami as her husband’s name is Dayami Ajimoddin Gaussoddin.
To this, Dr Dange responds cautiously, noting that oxygen support had already been reduced.
Based on a complaint by Gaussoddin, the Udgir City Police registered a case against Dr Deshpande on May 24 under legal provisions for deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings and other offences.
The police have also seized Dr Deshpande`s mobile phone and issued a notice to him. His statement was being recorded, Inspector Dilip Gade told PTI, adding that the police were verifying the authenticity of the audio clip.
The cops have also issued a notice to Dr Dange. “He is out of district and will come tomorrow. After that, we will collect his mobile phone and conduct an inquiry,” Gade said.
As per the FIR, the complainant stated his wife Kausar Fatima – then 41 years old – had tested positive for Covid-19, following which she was admitted as an inpatient at the government hospital in Udgir on April 15, 2021. She was being provided with Covid-19 treatment in a building opposite an eye hospital on Nanded Road, under the management of the hospital. Dr Dange was treating the Covid-19 patients at that centre.
The woman remained admitted there for 10 days. Around the seventh day of her admission, her husband was sitting beside Dr Dange while he was having lunch.
At that moment, Dr Dange, who received a call from Dr Deshpande, placed the phone on speaker and continued the conversation regarding hospital matters.
During the call, Dr Deshpande enquired about bed availability.
When Dr Dange informed him that there were no vacant beds, Gaussoddin claimed that he distinctly heard Dr Deshpande saying, “Kill the Dayami patient. You`re used to dealing with such people.”
He also allegedly made a caste-based slur during the conversation, the complainant claimed.
The patient’s husband said he was shocked, but chose to remain silent at the time as his wife was undergoing treatment. A few days later, his wife was discharged from the centre following her recovery.
However, on May 2, 2025, the audio clip of the purported conversation surfaced on social media.
The man said hearing the same disturbing remarks again deeply hurt him and offended his religious sentiments, especially the alleged use of derogatory caste-related comments, following which he approached the police to file a complaint.
(With PTI inputs)
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