A RETIRED doctor killed himself with a massive overdose of medication prescribed for him.

Blackburn GP Dr Dibya Jyoti Mukherji had been forced to retire when he became totally blind 16 years earlier, an inquest was told.

Despite his disability he administered his own medication and was fully aware of what he was taking.

His widow Ruth said he had never given any indication that he might take his own life.

A toxicology report revealed that Dr Mukherji had taken 12 times the fatal dose of paracetamol, six times the fatal dose of propoxyphene and double the lethal dosage of temazipam.

Mrs Mukherji, of Whaley Road, Wilpshire, said her husband suffered from arthritis, mild diabetes and, more recently, angina.

For several months before his death he had suffered from severe headaches.

A few weeks before his death on October 1 he had flu, which weakened him, but he still managed to get up and about.

Mrs Mukherji said her husband had managed to organise his life so that he could cope with his total blindness.

In the weeks before his death he had shown some signs of depression and when he saw his doctor mentioned feelings of anxiety and low mood. On the day of his death, Mrs Mukherji was visiting friends in St Annes and they both got up early and had a cup of tea.

Mrs Mukherji said her husband said he still felt weak from the flu and said he was going back to bed.

She was collected by taxi at 8.45am and Dr Mukherji stood at the door in his dressing gown and waved her off.

Later that day a police officer, alerted by neighbours, climbed into the house through an upstairs bedroom window and found Dr Mukherji lying on a bed.

Paramedics treated him at the scene but he was pronounced dead at Blackburn Royal Infirmary.

Recording a verdict of suicide, coroner Michael Singleton said it was clear that Dr Mukherji was well aware of the medication he had been prescribed and what it had been prescribed for.

"Despite his blindness he was able to administer the appropriate medication and there can be no question of there being any mistake by him as to what he was taking," said Mr Singleton.

"As a doctor he would also know the consequences. For whatever reason, it was Dr Mukherji's intention by his actions to take his own life."

Mr Singleton said he knew Dr Mukherji had an exceptional reputation as a GP of the highest quality and it was tragic that he felt he could not go on any more. The cause of death was given as drug toxicity.