Two days after an elderly woman was allegedly raped at Panipat civil hospital, the victim died during treatment at Pandit Bhagwat Dayal Sharma Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS), Rohtak on Tuesday, police said.
According to the police, the prime accused Rakesh Kumar, who works as a security guard at the hospital’s CT and MRI section, run by a private firm, has been arrested.
The 58-year-old woman was referred to PGIMS on the intervening night of Sunday and Monday due to her critical condition, officials said. Panipat civil surgeon Dr Vijay Malik confirmed her death early Tuesday morning.
“Being a diabetic and heart patient, her condition was already critical when she arrived at the Panipat civil hospital. The cause of death will be confirmed once we get reports from PGIMS, Rohtak. Her autopsy was conducted at BPS Govt Medical College, Khanpur in Sonepat. All the reports are awaited,” Dr Malik told HT.
According to the police, the incident happened on Sunday evening, when the woman was brought to the Panipat civil hospital with severe body pain. She was advised for an X-ray and CT scan by an officer on duty.
In her complaint, the woman stated that her family took her to a CT scan room after her X-ray. According to her statement, an accused person told her family to stay outside. She said that no staff members were inside the room when the accused assaulted her.
{{/usCountry}}In her complaint, the woman stated that her family took her to a CT scan room after her X-ray. According to her statement, an accused person told her family to stay outside. She said that no staff members were inside the room when the accused assaulted her.
{{/usCountry}}The woman alleged that she was locked in the room for about four minutes, unable to protest due to her diabetes and other medical conditions. Later, she informed the police and a case was registered under sections 64 (1) (rape) and 351 (3) (criminal intimidation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Dr Malik said that the Haryana health department has put the CT centre, being run under public private partnership (PPP), on notice and a parallel probe is underway by the police.
“We have formed a panel to prepare a report. The private firm running the centre has dismissed Rakesh Kumar, the prime accused working as a security guard, and Sachin, a technician, from their jobs. After the incident, the woman’s MLR was prepared and police lodged an FIR. The patient was taken to PGIMS under critical condition at around 1.30am on Monday, where she died on Tuesday morning,” he said.
Social activist Savita Arya said it was alarming that a male staffer had been allowed to conduct the scan on a woman patient without any family member or female health worker present.
Dr Malik said that the department has been assured by the firm that in the future, a woman staffer will be present whenever a woman patient is undergoing a scan.