A new panel has been reportedly set up to inquire into the allegation that a patient who accused a hospital attendant at the Government Medical College Hospital, Kozhikode, of sexually assaulting her at the Intensive Care Unit was threatened by five other staffers to withdraw the complaint later.
The panel is learnt to be under the Directorate of Medical Education (DME), Thiruvananthapuram. It will have an administrative assistant and two junior superintendents as members, who are expected to visit the medical college hospital later this month to collect evidence. They may also speak to the woman who was reportedly assaulted.
The medical college police had filed a case against the five staffers and submitted a charge sheet in court. The sexual assault incident is reported to have happened on March 18. The five staffers were suspended on March 23 following a complaint filed against them by the woman. However, the suspension was revoked by the then principal, E.V. Gopi, on May 31, which was his retirement day as well. This was reportedly based on the findings of an internal inquiry committee. After the incident created an uproar, the order was cancelled on June 8.
While cancelling the order, it was pointed out that the internal inquiry report had not been approved by the Director of Medical Education. The medical education director is learnt to have set up the new panel after going through the report. It has been alleged that the internal inquiry panel members had not spoken to the woman.
M.M. Saseendran, the hospital attendant, is also under suspension. The police have filed a charge sheet against him. The principal of the medical college has submitted a report to the Kerala Women’s Commission.
