Kozhikode: The woman allegedly sexually assaulted in the ICU of Kozhikode Medical College Hospital said Kozhikode City Commissioner Rajpal Meena has discouraged her from filing a complaint against a doctor.
The woman wrote a complaint to State Police Chief Shaik Darvesh Saheb seeking action against Commissioner Meena for being rude to her. "He even asked if I were an advocate," the survivor wrote to the state police chief.
In March, the woman was sexually assaulted allegedly by attender Kuzhiparambath Saseendran while she was in sedation following a thyroid surgery.
In the letter dated August 17, she said she went to the Commissioner of Police on July 27 to complain against a doctor who was entrusted by the hospital superintendent to take her statement and conduct a medical examination.
"Dr Preethi K V, a senior resident in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, did not properly take my statement and conduct my medical examination," the woman said.
When she approached City Commissioner Meena to complain against the doctor, the officer did not allow a social worker who accompanied her to enter his chamber.
She said she took the social worker along because she did not have the language to communicate her ordeal to the officer. "I approached the officer with a lot of hope but his action shattered my confidence," she wrote in the letter.
Only a female relative was allowed to accompany her. Inside the chamber, Commissioner Meena "was not ready to listen to my complaint. At one stage, he even asked if I were a doctor," she said.
The officer accepted her complaint only after she vehemently insisted on it, she said.
The woman asked the state police chief to take action against Meena and give proper instructions so that such incidents would not be repeated.
Last Wednesday, August 16, the woman said she did not trust the inquiry into her complaint. "The Medical College authority has been trying to protect Saseendran... Some hospital staff pressured me to withdraw the case too,” she alleged.
She said she would raise her complaint with the Chief Minister and Minister for Health Veena George.
To be sure, the Medical College Hospital in March suspended the five employees when she raised the allegation for the first time.
Though Saseendran was booked and arrested, he is now out on bail.
She alleged Saseendran had been visiting the hospital regularly. "So I can't visit the doctor for my follow-ups,” she said.
The woman survivor said she would seek the intervention of the Chief Minister and Health Minister to ensure the safety of patients in intensive care units.
