23-year-old Hyderabad doctor kills self after family objected to adopting cat

'The mother informed us that Shreshtha had brought home a pet cat. After that, she developed cold and cough symptoms, which led to repeated disputes between them,' a police officer said. (Representational image: Unsplash)

A 23-year-old doctor from Hyderabad died by suicide on Friday evening following repeated domestic disputes over her decision to adopt a pet cat, police said, underscoring growing concerns around mental health stress among young medical professionals.

The doctor, identified as T Princy aka Shreshtha, lived with her mother and grandmother in the Alwal area of Secunderabad. According to police, tensions in the household escalated over the past few weeks after she brought a cat home, News 18 reported.

Family dispute at centre of probe

Police officials said Shreshtha’s family objected to keeping the cat indoors after she developed cold and cough symptoms. The disagreement reportedly led to frequent arguments at home.

Alwal sub-inspector Devendra said the woman’s mother told investigators that the disputes intensified in the days leading up to the incident. “The mother informed us that Shreshtha had brought home a pet cat. After that, she developed cold and cough symptoms, which led to repeated disputes between them,” he said.

On Friday evening, Shreshtha was alone at home while her mother and grandmother had stepped out. When they returned, they found her unresponsive in her room and alerted neighbours, who called the police.

Investigation underway

A police team reached the spot and shifted the body to Gandhi Hospital mortuary for postmortem examination. A case of suspicious death has been registered based on the complaint lodged by the mother.

“While preliminary findings point to a domestic dispute, all angles are being examined,” a police official said, adding that no suicide note has been recovered so far.

Investigators are also looking into whether there were additional stressors in the young doctor’s life beyond the immediate family conflict.

Recently graduated, preparing for PG exams

Shreshtha had recently completed her medical degree and was preparing for postgraduate entrance examinations. Police said she had also begun the process of applying for her medical licence, indicating she was in a critical transition phase of her professional life.

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