Gurugram DC orders inquiry after Kazakh woman raped in private hospital

Gurugram deputy commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav said that the incident represents a serious lapse on the part of the hospital

Two days after a 50-year-old Kazakh woman was allegedly raped by a 24-year-old male attendant inside Artemis Hospital in Gurugram in Sector 51, the deputy commissioner of Gurugram ordered an enquiry, officials said on Tuesday.

Police registered a case under Section 64 (2) (e) (management or staff of a hospital rapes a woman in that hospital) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). (Representational image)

Gurugram deputy commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav said that the incident represents a serious lapse on the part of the hospital. “This incident will be thoroughly reviewed by the additional deputy commissioner, who is part of the organ transplant team. We will investigate how a male attendant was allowed to enter the patient’s room alone, despite knowing the woman was alone. Although the suspect has been arrested, we will review the standard operating procedures (SOPs) and check CCTV footage to determine how many times the suspect entered the room. Strict directions will be given to all the hospitals, and no male attendant will be allowed to enter any room with female patients without the assistance of female staff,” he said.

The hospital management released a statement saying, “Artemis Hospital always prioritises the safety of its patients. In light of this allegation, we will leave no stone unturned to ensure that all parties involved are treated with fairness and that a thorough and impartial investigation is conducted so that truth and justice prevail. Till the time of the investigation, the male attendant would be temporarily out of service.”

A senior police officer said that the woman was admitted to the hospital on July 9 for knee surgery. “Her surgery was done on July 13, and she was alone in the room. The attendant raped her while she was under sedatives the next morning. The woman raised the alarm and informed her daughter, who informed the police,” he said.

The daughter lodged a complaint on Sunday. Police said a team from the Sector 50 police station reached the spot, recorded the woman’s statement, and registered a case under Section 64 (2) (e) (management or staff of a hospital rapes a woman in that hospital) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The suspect was arrested and identified as Thakur, who goes by his first name.

“My mother was raped while being in hospital. This is a breach of patient security and safety,” said the woman’s daughter.