A probe has been ordered in the case of a woman in Kerala, who was sexually assaulted in a hospital by the hospital staff. According to reports, the woman was hospitalized after surviving a suicide attempt. The incident was reported from Thrissur, Kerala and occurred earlier on Sunday last week. The incident of sexual assault took place when the woman was being shifted from one hospital to the other and was accompanied by the alleged accused staffer.
As per reports, the woman was first rushed to the Kodungallur taluk hospital. She had tried to take her life and was rushed to the hospital. However, when her condition further deteriorated, she was referred by the doctors to the Thrissur’s Government Medical College, some 50 km away from the Kodungallur hospital.
As per reports, the woman was being taken to the Government Medical College by a contractual employee in Kodungallur taluk hospital. When the woman was in the ambulance with the contractual employee, identified as K Dayalal, she was assaulted by him.
The matter came to the fore after the survivor told the on-duty nurse about the assault during her treatment at the medical college. The government hospital informed the police, and the accused was arrested before he could abscond.
The Facts of the Matter
Survivors of suicide attempts are often vulnerable and in a state of trauma. Unfortunately, this vulnerability can make them susceptible to further abuse and violence. Abusers often exploit the emotional and psychological state of survivors to inflict more pain and control.
In one such situation, a hospital staffer, who was responsible for protecting the woman from any further untoward incident, sexually assaulted her when accompanying her from one hospital to other. The incident was reported from Kerala, and the alleged accused in the matter has been identified as K Dayalal.
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Survivor Tried to Take Life by Consuming Poison
As per the reports, the suicide survivor had tried to take her life by consuming poison, and was rushed to the Kodungallur taluk hospital. During her time at the Kodungallur hospital, the woman’s condition further deteriorated, and she was referred to the Government Medical College in Thrissur, some 50 km away from where she was first hospitalised.
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Woman Gets Sexual Assaulted in Ambulance
To transport the woman from one hospital to the other, the Kodungallur hospital authorities asked one of its contractual employees from electricity department to accompany her in the ambulance. When the woman was admitted to the government medical college, she told the on-duty nurse about being sexually assaulted during her treatment when she was in the ambulance.
Probe Ordered
The police were able to arrest the alleged accused Dayalal before he could flee. Police also told media that the alleged accused sexually assaulted the woman in the ambulance.
Meanwhile, following the incident, Veena George, Kerala Health Minister, has sought a report from the hospital superintendent in the matter. The alleged accused Dayalal’s contractual services with the hospital remains terminated.
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Not First Such Incident From Kerala
It should be noted that this is not the first time a patient was sexually assaulted by a hospital staffer in Kerala. Back in September 2020, a COVID-19 patient, was sexually assaulted by an ambulance driver when she was being rushed to a COVID-19 treatment centre. The accused, 28-year-old Noufal, who was also found to be accused in a murder case, was arrested.
Unfortunately, the patient in question ended up trying to take her life at a Kottayam government medical college after being assaulted. She was rescued by the staff who broke open the doors of a bathroom of a isolation ward where she had tried to hang herself.
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