Kerala: Hospital employee arrested for raping semi-conscious patient

C Saseendran, the accused who was immediately suspended from service, earlier went absconding after police booked him

The Kerala Police on Monday arrested an employee of a medical college hospital in Kozhikode for allegedly sexually assaulting a patient while she was semi-conscious after undergoing surgery on Saturday.

C Saseendran, the accused, was arrested on Monday. (AFP)

Investigators said the woman informed the duty nurse and doctors about the alleged assault after she fully regained consciousness at the women’s surgical ICU.

C Saseendran, the accused who was immediately suspended from service, went absconding after police booked him. Police were now investigating whether he was involved in such incidents earlier too.

Police cited their investigation and said the woman was sexually assaulted when she was transferred to the ICU from the operation theatre. Saseendran was asked to accompany her due to the non-availability of women employees.

Kerala health minister Veena George constituted a three-member panel to investigate the case. She has asked the director of medical education to submit a report on how such incidents can be prevented.

Police said an investigation was being carried out under the supervision of assistant commissioner K Sudarshan.