The Kerala government suspended five employees of Government Medical College Hospital in Kozhikode after they reportedly tried to influence the survivor of a sexual assault to withdraw the complaint. A few days ago, a woman was allegedly sexually assaulted by another staff of the hospital.
On Thursday, the minister's office, as per PTI, said in a release, "Five persons have been suspended for trying to influence the survivor in the sexual assault case. One has been dismissed in connection with the incident."
The Kerala Health Minister took the decision based on a report submitted by the Director of Medical Education.
The accused have been identified as a nursing assistant, two grade-2 hospital assistants and two grade-1 hospitals, said a report on The Hindu. The police have also registered a case against the accused.
A woman patient who was admitted to the hospital was allegedly sexually assaulted by a 55-year-old employee on March 18.
The woman who underwent surgery at the hospital was allegedly sexually assaulted after she was shifted to the post-operative facility on Saturday by an employee, police said.
Later, the accused allegedly meet her and pressured her to withdraw the complaint against one Saseendran. They also reportedly forced her to change the statement and offered compensation. The issue came to light after she gave another complaint to the police.
Meanwhile, the police arrested the employee, Saseendran, a Grade II attendant of the hospital. Saseendran was charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 376 (rape) and 354 (assault or criminal force to a woman with intent to outrage her modesty). The State Health Department also earlier suspended the accused employee from service.
Currently, women security staff have been deployed at the ward where the woman is receiving treatment and only doctors are allowed to visit her.