Kerala: Patient kills woman doctor with scissors & scalpels as she was dressing his wounds
Kerala: Patient kills woman doctor with scissors & scalpels as she was dressing his wounds
A 23-year-old medical doctors was stabbed to death on Wednesday at a taluk hospital in Kerala’s Kollam district. As per reports, the medical practitioner was allegedly stabbed by a man, who was brought there by police after being involved in a scuffle with his family members. The man was a suspended school teacher.
Suspended teacher attacked everyone
As per reports, an officer of the Kottarakkara police in the district, the suspended teacher, identified as Sandeep, had a wound on his leg. The doctor, Vandana Das, was dressing the wound, when the patient allegedly got provoked and started attacking everyone standing there, using scissors and scalpels. Das succumbed to her fatal injuries hours later.
The major brunt of the attack was borne by the young doctor, and even though she was rushed to a private hospital, she succumbed to her injuries. The police personnel accompanying the man were also injured to varied degrees.
Kerala High Court slams state government
The Kerala High Court slammed the state government and the police over the killing of the young doctor at the taluk hospital in Kottarakkara area of Kollam district.
A special bench of Justices Devan Ramachandran and Kauser Edappagath said the incident indicates the government and police’s failure to protect the doctor.
PTI in a report mentioned the special bench saying, “It is a complete failure of the system. Having an aid post in a hospital is not enough. When you (police) knew the man was acting abnormally, you should have restrained him.”
They added that the police needed to be able to anticipate the unanticipated, without which there is no requirement for the police personnel. ” Did you not fail this girl?” the bench asked, adding that it had on several occasions in the past warned that such an incident would occur if nothing was done.
The court said the incident has created a “fear psychosis” among the doctors, medical students and their parents.
Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan condoles death
Meanwhile, Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan condoled the death of the doctor stating that the incident was “extremely painful” and “shocking” and that a thorough investigation will be conducted in the matter.
In a statement, Vijayan said, “Assaulting health workers in the line of duty is unacceptable. A thorough investigation will be conducted into the incident. The government will take strong action against attacks on doctors and health workers,” reported PTI.
There have been strong protests by the Indian Medical Association and Kerala Government Medical Officers’ Association following the harrowing incident.
Death turns into political row
The incident, however, has kicked off a political row in Kerala after Health Minister Veena George said the victim was a house surgeon and therefore, inexperienced and got scared.
Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president K Sudhakaran reacted to the comments and questioned what George meant in her statement. “Does she mean the doctor was inexperienced to counter or defend against an attack by a man addicted to drugs and alcohol? The statement is a joke,” he told reporters.
Sudhakaran further condoled the death of the doctor saying it was sad and unfortunate that an incident like this happened.
Meanwhile Leader of Opposition in the state and senior Congress leader VD Satheesan has said the doctor’s murder has shaken the entire society in Kerala.
With inputs from agencies