Even as students and academics at Topiwala National Medical College and BYL Nair Hospital are aghast at the way Dean Dr Ramesh Bharmal has been dealing with the suicide of Dr Payal Tadvi, he came up with a shocking decision on Monday. He replaced the head of the gynaecology department unit to which Dr Payal belonged – Dr Yi Ching Ling – with an additional professor without giving a written communication in the matter. Senior academics say he simply asked a junior doctor over the phone to communicate the same.

"It is unfortunate that even after the news of Dr Payal's death spread on May 22, the dean, academic dean, deputy dean, assistant dean and even the head of the gynaecology department did not bother to rush to the emergency ward to check what was happening," said a senior academic requesting anonymity. He added, "It was unfortunate that only after 11.30 pm that night the dean visited the hospital, but instead of meeting Dr Payal's family members, he preferred to be in his cabin until early morning."