AIIMS orders inquiry into delayed examination of child rape victim

The minor girl was allegedly sexually assaulted while she was playing outside her home by a teenager from the same neighbourhood in south Delhi’s Tigri area. DCW chairperson said she was not provided treatment for three-and-a-half hours at Aiims.

Aiims has initiated a departmental inquiry and issued a show-cause notice to a senior resident on duty for alleged negligence in providing timely medical treatment to a seven-year-old rape victim last month, it said in a report to Delhi Commission for Women (DCW).

DCW chairperson said the child rape victim was not provided treatment for three-and-a-half hours at Aiims. (HT File Photo)

Taking a strong note of the alleged negligence, DCW had served a notice to Aiims and sought an ‘action taken’ report.

“Preliminary investigation have revealed that the senior resident on duty who was to examine the child, was in operation theatre conducting an emergency surgery resulting delay in the examination. This, ofcourse cannot be accepted as a valid reason for the delay,” the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (Aiims) said in its response.

“The HOD has issued a show-cause notice to the resident. Further, a departmental enquiry has also been initiated,” it added.

“As part of a system approach to the problem, we are instituting a mechanism whereby upon receiving a suspected case of sexual assault, the CMO shall intimate the senior resident on call as well as the duty officer so that any delays can be avoided,” Aiims further said.

The minor girl was allegedly sexually assaulted while she was playing outside her home by a teenager from the same neighbourhood in south Delhi’s Tigri area, following which police had registered a case and apprehended the accused.

DCW chairperson Swati Maliwal who met the girl had quoted the version of investigating police officer and the counsellor of DCW’s Rape Crisis Cell, saying that she was not provided treatment for three-and-a-half hours at Aiims.