Ranadhir Paul of SMCH
Ranadhir Paul, an employee of SMCH, who committed suicide on Thursday. Image credit - Northeast Now

It seems a notice turned fatal for a grade IV contractual employee of the blood bank department at Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMCH), who committed suicide on Thursday.

Ranadhir Paul, who is 55 years old, committed suicide at his residence in Kathal Road of Silchar in the morning on Thursday.

He was found hanging from a ceiling fan in his bedroom.

According to information, Ranadhir Paul attempted to commit suicide earlier on May 26 night last by consuming poison, just mere 10 days back, after a notice was issued against him as gross anomalies in the department came to light recently.

He was admitted to SMCH and underwent treatment for three days. Later he was discharged on May 30 last.

The allegation levelled against Ranadhir Paul was that he used to stay in the blood bank of the hospital for nearly 24 hours instead of his stipulated 8-hour shift.

After Dr Rajiv Biswas took charge as the in-charge of SMCH’s blood bank, which is run by the Assam Aids Control Society, quite a few CCTV cameras were installed in order to stop anomalies that were going on in the blood bank.

There was allegation that blood was being illegally sold from the blood bank at higher rate.

“Dr Biswas was reported about a bed placed inside the blood bank which was meant for Ranadhir Paul, who turned the place into his additional home,” alleged sources.

All of these led to the issuance of a notice against Ranadhir Paul on May 26 last.

Ranadhir Paul
The body of SMCH blood bank employee Ranadhir Paul, who committed suicide, being brought for conducting post-mortem. Image – Northeast Now
The body of SMCH blood bank employee Ranadhir Paul, who committed suicide, being brought for conducting post-mortem. Image – Northeast Now

As the matter started to spill out and news surfaced in many daily newspapers and electronic media, Ranadhir Paul attempted to commit suicide by consuming poison, but was rescued on time.

But on Thursday he was successful in his second attempt of suicide and breathed his last.

His body has been sent for conducting post-mortem in the afternoon on Thursday.

His family members were not in any mood to say anything to Northeast Now on this issue at the moment.

Speaking to Northeast Now, SMCH principal Babul Bezbaruah said, “I have heard about the news and I am saddened, but can’t comment much as it is a sub-judice matter, because Ranadhir Paul also filed a case against Rajiv Biswas.”

“The matter is under investigation and the police would look into the case. If some other staff members are involved in gross anomalies in the blood bank, they would get their punishment. However, Ranadhir Paul should not have taken the extreme step of committing suicide.”