Bokaro: A 68-year-old retired govt doctor was found dead in a well under suspicious circumstances near his residence in Giridih on Monday morning. Police have launched an investigation, though preliminary findings suggest that the death may have been accidental.The deceased, Dr B N Jha, was a well-known physician and former deputy superintendent of Giridih Sadar Hospital. Local residents spotted his body floating in a well at Lakhari, alerted Pachamba police, which soon rushed to the spot to retrieve and send the body for post-mortem.Giridih civil surgeon Dr Baccha Prasad Singh, who worked with Jha before his retirement last year, said the physician continued treating patients after retirement and remained a respected figure in the district. He was a gentle person.“He was suffering from health issues for the past few years and was also undergoing treatment for mental illness. He used to go for a morning walk daily. The well where his body was found is only a few hundred metres from his residence,” Singh said.According to the post-mortem findings, water was found in Jha’s lungs, indicating death due to drowning. “It appears to be an accidental death,” the civil surgeon added. Jha is survived by his wife and son.Pachamba police station in charge Rajeev Kumar said no external injury marks were found on the body. “Prima facie, it appears that the doctor died after falling into the well. However, all angles are being examined,” he said.
