Guwahati Doctor Found Dead in ICU, Police Probe Underway

A doctor at a private super-speciality hospital in Guwahati was found dead inside an ICU chamber in the early hours of Wednesday, prompting a police investigation.

The deceased has been identified as Dr Prayash Singhal, who had been associated with the hospital for about six years and was posted in the Neurology ICU. He also worked in emergency medicine.

According to hospital authorities, Dr Singhal reported for duty around 10 pm on Tuesday. During the night, he complained of abdominal pain and vomiting and requested medication from the nursing staff. He was administered medicines and an injection for his symptoms.

He later moved to the doctors' room where he was attended to. At approximately 4 am, hospital staff found him unresponsive inside the ICU chamber.

Dr Hitesh Baruah, founder and Managing Director of the hospital, stated that the police were informed immediately after the discovery. He confirmed that Dr Singhal had sought treatment for his symptoms during the night.

"When we checked on him in the morning, we found that he had already died. There were no signs of life," Dr Baruah said.

The body has been sent to Gauhati Medical College and Hospital for a post-mortem examination. Dr Baruah cautioned against drawing premature conclusions, noting that it would be hypothetical to speculate on suicide or other causes. He added that personal issues could be examined as part of the inquiry but stressed that no findings have been reached.

The hospital clarified that several doctors from departments including Neurology, Cardiology, and MICU were on the night shift, but no one witnessed the incident. Police have registered a case and are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death.