Murder of young woman doctor on duty shocks Kerala

By Matters India Reporter

Kottarakkara, May 10, 2023: The murder of a 25-year-old woman doctor on duty allegedly by a drug addict has sent shock waves across the southern Indian state of Kerala.

State Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan led the mourning for Vandana Das, a house surgeon who was killed on May 10.

She was stabbed to death at a government hospital in Kottarakkara of Kollam district by Sandeep, a school teacher under suspension. Police had brought him there to treat a wound he reportedly sustained during a fight with his family members.

The police said Das was dressing the wound on the known drug addict’s leg when he suddenly attacked her with a scissor and scalpel.

Das bore the brunt of the attack while a policeman who had accompanied the assailant was also wounded. Das was taken to a hospital in Thiruvananthapuram, the Kerala state capital, but she succumbed to her wounds.

Kottarakkara is some 65 km north of Thiruvananthapuram.

Das was the only child of K G Mohan Das and Vasanthakumari, residents of Kaduthuruthy in Kottayam district. She completed her schooling from De Paul School in Kuravilangad near Kottayam, managed by the Vincentian priests.

Relatives, friends and local people have thronged Das’ house to mourn her death and attend the last rites.

The Kerala chief minister described the incident as “shocking and extremely painful,” and he promised to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident.

“Assaulting health workers in the line of duty is unacceptable. A thorough investigation will be conducted into the incident. The government will take strong action against attacks on doctors and health workers,” he said in a statement.

Condoling the death of the doctor, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president K Sudhakaran said the young doctor’s untimely death was sad and unfortunate.

Another Congress leader V D Satheesan, the leader of opposition in the Kerala assembly, said the doctor’s murder has shaken the entire Kerala society.

Maintaining that the situation in hospitals has become dangerous situation he blamed police negligence for the young doctor’s murder.

Education Minister V Sivankutty, while mourning the death, said the government will take all necessary steps against the accused.

Meanwhile members of the Indian Medical Association and Kerala Government Medical Officers’ Association protested the incident. The Kerala medical body announced suspension of all services except emergency treatment May 10 in Kollam district.

It sought exemplary punishment for those responsible for the incident and demanded that stringent steps to prevent recurrence of such incidents.

The Kerala doctors urged the government to strengthen security in hospitals, ensure proper precautions when bringing accused in custody for medical examination.

Medical professionals protested the incident on the streets of Kottarakkara. Television reports showed similar protests in other hospitals in Kerala.

The Kerala State Human Rights Commission has initiated a case and sought a report within seven days from the district police chief of Kollam.

Federal Minister of State for External Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs V Muraleedharan, a Kerala native, termed as a shame that that doctors and healthcare workers are not safe in Kerala. He expressed his shock and concern over the tragic incident.

He alleged that the “apathy and callousness” of the state government tarnished Kerala’s image.

Narrating the incident, a police officer in Kottarakkara told reporters that the man had called the emergency helpline to save him from his family members following a fight with them.

When police arrived at the scene, they found him injured and took him to the hospital for medical examination and treatment.

“He had consumed alcohol and was violent when we took him to the hospital. He was alone with the doctor as we are not allowed into the room when a patient’s wound is being dressed.

“Suddenly, there was a commotion and the doctor ran out screaming for help followed by the man who was carrying a scissor and a scalpel and was shouting ‘I will kill you’,” the officer said and added it was not yet known why he got so violent and targeted the doctor.

An IMA official said Das was a house surgeon at Azeezia Medical College Hospital and was at the taluk hospital as part of her training.