Alappuzha: Police have registered a case against a Youth Congress worker and about 15 identifiable persons for allegedly storming the Government Medical College Hospital, Vandanam, and disrupting a press conference in connection with the medical negligence case involving Punnapra native Usha Joseph.

According to the FIR, a group of Youth Congress activists led by the first accused, Praveen, unlawfully entered the Telemedicine Hall in J Block of the hospital, where the principal and other officials were holding the meeting. Principal Dr B Padma Kumar, Dr Harikumar, Dr Lakshmi and four police personnel were present at the press conference.

The accused allegedly waved party flags, shouted slogans and climbed onto tables, creating an atmosphere of intimidation. The incident occurred between 11.00 am and 11.30 am on February 20. Meanwhile, three other Youth Congress workers standing outside the hall allegedly shook the grill of the superintendent’s office, raised slogans loudly and threatened hospital staff on duty.

When police officers arrived and attempted to remove the protesters from the hospital premises, the accused allegedly refused to comply, shouted at police and hospital staff and physically resisted. Seven accused, including two women, allegedly sat and lay down in front of the police jeep, causing obstruction to movement, disrupting hospital functioning and obstructing public servants from discharging their official duties.

The Ambalappuzha police registered the case based on a complaint filed by Abhayakumar, a sergeant on duty at the medical college. The case has been registered under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Kerala Healthcare Service Persons and Healthcare Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage to Property) Act, 2012 (amended in 2023). Inspector Pratheeshkumar M is conducting the investigation.