In a shocking incident, a house surgeon was stabbed to death while many others sustained injuries when a patient attacked them with a pair of scissors at the Kottarakara taluk hospital on Wednesday.
Though 23-year-old Vandana Das, a Kottayam resident, was rushed to a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram, her life could not be saved. She sustained multiple stab wounds causing severe internal injuries in the attack.
The incident
The incident took place around 4.30 a.m. when S. Sandeep, a 42-year-old school teacher, was brought to the hospital by the police as he was injured in a brawl. Reportedly, the accused was under de-addiction treatment and he attacked the staff with a pair of surgical scissors he grabbed from the hospital while they were dressing his wound.
After stabbing a police inspector and home guard, the accused attacked several other employees and vandalised the hospital.
Additional Director General of Police M.R. Ajithkumar said that the accused was not a police detainee but a complainant when he was taken to the hospital.
“The accused had called police emergency number at midnight seeking the help of the police and complaining he was being attacked. When the night patrolling party tried to contact the number it was switched off. Later he called from another number and when the police team reached the location, they found him injured. He was taken to the hospital by the police while a relative also accompanied them. While he was being treated at the causalty ward he was calm, but later he became violent without any provocation and attacked his relative. After a home guard and ASI were stabbed, other staff rushed to another room and closed the door. But Dr. Vandana could not flee,” Mr. Ajithkumar said.
Widespread protests
Widespread protests erupted across the State following the incident. Doctors boycotted all services except emergency services on Wednesday.
The Paripally Medical College Hospital witnessed tense moments when the accused was taken there by the police for medical examination. Doctors and medical students came out raising slogans demanding justice and he was later shifted to Thiruvananthapuram in an ambulance amidst growing protests.
The Kerala State Human Rights Commission has registered a suo motu case in the incident based on media reports. Commission member V.K. Beenakumari has sought a report from the District Police Chief within seven days.
Meanwhile, Sandeep has been suspended from service by the General Education department. The suspension of Sandeep, a teacher at Nedumpana Upper Primary School (UPS), follows a department-level inquiry conducted on the orders of Minister for General Education V. Sivankutty. Stricter action against the teacher would follow, the Minister said.
