Kottarakara murder | Man accused of murdering doctor was taken to the hospital as a complainant who sought police help

All legal measures would be completed at the earliest to secure the assailant, who was in police custody, due punishment, said Additional Director General of Police M. R. Ajith Kumar

Doctors and medical students raise slogans during their protest against the killing of a female surgeon, at Government Medical College Hospital in Kochi, on May 10, 2023. | Photo Credit: PTI

The man accused of murdering a young house surgeon while being treated at Kottarakara taluk hospital on May 10 morning was a complainant at the time of the incident, said Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) M. R. Ajith Kumar.

Talking to reporters in Kochi, Mr. Kumar said that he was taken to the hospital by the police team after they found him injured following a call that he had made to the police emergency number 112 seeking help to rescue him from people’s attack.

“Initially, had made a call to the police emergency number around 1 a.m. saying that he was being attacked. The call was duly transferred to the police station concerned and the night patrolling team was alerted. But when the ASI (assistant sub-inspector) on patrolling duty contacted his mobile phone, it was switched off. Later around 3.30 a.m., he made another call to the emergency number from another number and the patrolling team could eventually locate him,” said Mr. Kumar.

However, he was found holding a stick in front of another house some half-a-kilometre away with people around. He was crying out that an attempt was being made to kill him and police found him injured. Since he was injured, police naturally took him to the hospital. One of his relatives and a local resident also accompanied him in the police vehicle.

“He was initially calm when a doctor in the casualty section of the hospital examined him. It was later when he was taken to the dressing room that he suddenly turned violent. Initially, he kicked his own relative and then seizing a scissors stabbed a home guard. Two ASIs, including one from the police aid post at the hospital, and the local resident were also stabbed,” said Mr. Kumar.

By this time, other doctors and staff in the hospital managed to bolt themselves up in a room. But the victim could not manage it. She was cornered and stabbed by the assailant, he said.

Dubbing the death of the young medical practitioner “unfortunate”, Mr. Kumar said that all legal measures would be completed at the earliest to secure the assailant, who was in police custody, due punishment.