Andhra woman doctor dies by suicide in Hyderabad over US visa rejection

Based on preliminary information, a police official said she is suspected to have taken an overdose of sleeping pills or injected herself on Friday night and that the exact cause of the death is yet to be known.

Amaravati/Hyderabad: A 38-year-old woman doctor from Guntur district in Andhra Pradesh allegedly died by suicide at her flat in Hyderabad due to depression over not getting US visa, said a police official.

The incident came to light on November 22 after her family members, who are staying in another locality of the city, broke open the door when there was no response and found her dead, they said.

It was the domestic help who informed the family members of the deceased, identified as Rohini, after she did not open the door, police said on Sunday.

The body was handed over to the family members after postmortem.

She is suspected to have taken an overdose of sleeping pills or injected herself on Friday night, the official said based on preliminary information, adding that the exact cause of the death is yet to be known as they were awaiting the postmortem report.

A suicide note was found from the house which purportedly wrote that she was under depression and it also mentioned the rejection of the visa application.

Lakshmi, mother of the deceased, said that her daughter was eagerly waiting to go to the US for a job but became depressed due to visa denial.

Rohini stayed in Padma Rao Nagar, Hyderabad, as there were libraries nearby. She wanted to specialise in internal medicine, said Lakshmi.

"She was a brilliant student and had completed her MBBS in Kyrgyzstan between 2005 and 2010. Her academic record was excellent, and she had big dreams for her future," Lakshmi told PTI.

Lakshmi said that she advised Rohini to stay back and practice medicine in India, but she said that her daughter argued saying patient numbers per day were limited in the US and income was better.

Her mother added that Rohini's struggle with disappointment and depression had intensified in recent weeks as she awaited visa approval, which never came, leaving her mentally exhausted and isolated.

Rohini did not get married and had devoted herself fully to her medical career, Lakshmi added.

Meanwhile, Chilkalguda Police have registered a case.