New Delhi: Medical professionals in Kerala began a statewide protest Wednesday over the death of a woman doctor, who was stabbed by a man while he was under her treatment.
The accused man was taken to a hospital in Kottarakkara by the police after he was wounded in a fight with family members.
He stabbed Dr Vandana Das, 22, while she was dressing a wound on his leg. According to the police, he suddenly attacked her and the police personnel present on the scene with a scissor and a scalpel.
Top officer M.R. Ajith Kumar said an accompanying policeman was also stabbed. “Everybody managed to escape but not the doctor. The accused is an alcoholic,” he said.
An injured Das was taken to Kerala Institute for Medical Sciences (KIMS), where she died Wednesday. Governor Arif Mohammed Khan and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan visited the hospital during the day.
Representative of Kerala’s House Surgeons Association Dr Rahul Krishna said a strong national action plan to avoid such incidents should immediately be formalised. “This cannot be tolerated. Doctors should be able to treat patients in a fearless atmosphere,” he added.
What happened at the Kottarakkara taluk hospital
A local police officer told news agency PTI that the man called the police on Wednesday morning, pleading with them to save him from his family members after a fight. The police found him injured and took him to the taluk hospital to be treated.
The officer said the man was drunk when they took him to the Kottarakkara hospital. Police personnel stood outside the treatment room while Dr Das was dressing his wound. “After a while, they saw the young doctor running out of the room, and the man chased after her brandishing a scissor and a scalpel. He was screaming, ‘I will kill you’,” the cop said.
Officers on the scene tried to stop him but were attacked too. Four others were injured by the man, but the woman doctor bore the brunt of his attack. The cop also said it was not immediately clear why he got violent.
He was subdued with much difficulty and taken into custody. “A case under Section 307 of Indian Penal Code for attempted murder was lodged, and in view of the doctor’s death (hours later), murder charges are likely to be imposed on the accused,” the cop said.
Manorama News said the accused, named Sandeep, was a teacher at the Nedumbana UP School and was under treatment for addiction. He stabbed Dr Das six times. The report also said two cops were also knifed, not one – home guard Alex Kutty and sub inspector Mani Lal.
The IMA said Dr Das was a house surgeon at the Azeezia Medical College Hospital and was at the taluk hospital as part of her training.
Several attempts were made to resuscitate her, but she could not be saved, an IMA official said.
Only emergency services for now
The Kerala Government Medical Officers Association (KGMOA) and the IMA have started a statewide protest – completely shutting down the Kottarakkara taluk hospital first. The strike will continue till 8 am Thursday, Manorama News reported.
The KGMOA has said only emergency services will be provided for now in all government hospitals. House surgeons are also a part of the strike.
The KGMOA has demanded that adequate precautions be taken by authorities while bringing an accused to a hospital for treatment.