Full Breakdown
AIIMS Jodhpur Resident Doctor’s Death Triggers Strike Over Working Conditions
By Drooid · · How we work
Incident Overview
On a Tuesday in early September, Dr Raj Nilesh Yadav, 31, a first-year postgraduate resident in the Department of Anaesthesia at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Jodhpur, was found unconscious in a washroom of the doctors’ resting area during a break at about 1 pm. Station House Officer Nitin Dave of the Basni police station reported that colleagues heard Yadav’s phone ringing inside the bathroom, broke the door open, and discovered him on the floor. He was rushed to the emergency department and declared dead. Police observed several syringes beside him and said they suspect he may have injected himself with a lethal drug. No suicide note has been recovered, and his mobile phone has been seized for forensic examination. Authorities are awaiting the post-mortem report while continuing to investigate all possible aspects of the case.
Resident Doctors’ Response
The following day, resident doctors at AIIMS Jodhpur began an indefinite strike, halting regular outpatient-department (OPD) services while emergency care continued. The strike was accompanied by a candle-lit march, a silent protest in which participants covered their mouths with tape, and a two-hour work boycott by the institute’s president. The Resident Doctors’ Association presented a memorandum demanding:
- A public apology and acknowledgment of institutional failures.
- Resignation of Executive Director Dr Goverdhan Dutt Puri.
- Financial compensation of Rs 5 crore for Yadav’s family, along with settlement of all pending dues, benefits, insurance claims and other entitlements.
- Formal recognition of the Residents Doctors’ Association and the student union to ensure regular communication with the administration.
- Comprehensive reforms to duty hours, workload, resident-welfare mechanisms and institutional safeguards.
Institutional Action
AIIMS Jodhpur constituted an in-house inquiry committee, headed by the Dean Academic, to examine the circumstances of Yadav’s death. A separate committee was formed to address the broader grievances raised by resident doctors. In a letter dated September 23, Executive Director Dr Goverdhan Dutt Puri stated that the police investigation was already underway and urged the striking doctors to resume duties, warning that the strike would “severely impact” regional health infrastructure.
Data & Statistics
- Compensation sought: Rs 5 crore (approximately US $600,000).
Background Context
Resident doctors at AIIMS Jodhpur have long voiced concerns over long duty hours, heavy workload, and inadequate welfare mechanisms. The current protest expands these grievances, seeking systemic reforms to safeguard the safety, dignity, health and welfare of residents and students.
Official Statements & Responses
- Police (SHO Nitin Dave): Confirmed Yadav was on duty in the operation theatre, went to the washroom during a break, and was found unconscious with syringes nearby; investigation ongoing, post-mortem pending.
- AIIMS Administration (Dr Goverdhan Dutt Puri): Emphasized that the strike would adversely affect patient care, appealed for its cessation, and pledged to resolve all grievances “at the earliest.”
Criticism & Opposition
Resident doctors criticize the administration for alleged institutional failures that they say contributed to Yadav’s death. They argue that the lack of a formal channel for communication and inadequate safeguards for resident welfare necessitate both accountability for current leadership and structural reforms.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I therefore strongly appeal to you to call off the strike in the interest of the patient care and your professional duty as a healer,” — Dr Puri