Tragedy struck the Kottarakkara taluk hospital in Kerala as a 23-year-old woman doctor was brutally stabbed to death by a school teacher while she was treating him. The deceased has been identified as Vandana Das, a house surgeon at the hospital.
According to hospital sources, the accused, S Sandeep, a 42-year-old school teacher, had stabbed the doctor six times on her back with scissors from the dressing room. Doctors who treated her said that she suffered stab wounds on her back and abdomen. Despite the best efforts of the medical staff, the injuries proved to be fatal, causing severe internal injuries.
The incident occurred at 4:30 am on Wednesday. Police took Sandeep into custody after he was involved in a brawl with his neighbours. As he was injured during the fight, police took him to the hospital. While the doctor was treating his wounds, he suddenly attacked her. After attacking five people, Sandeep also vandalized the hospital.
Thiruvananthapuram IN, The Kerala High Court today reacted sharply to the brutal murder of a doctor who was stabbed to death on Wednesday. The incident was at a taluk hospital in Kottarakkara area of Kollam district. The doctor was stabbed by a school teacher under suspension. White coat turning red? Reacting to the murder, the High Court said that the incident is a failure of the system and the police to protect doctors. The court made the remark during a special sitting to consider the recent attacks on doctors in the State on Wednesday. Yes True! Doctors should be given complete protection while treating patients in Emergency especially. There should be safety first in this selfless profession.
Here is the summary of all the events took place:
The Kerala High Court today decided to intervene in the murder of a 23-year-old female doctor named Vandana Das by S Sandeep (42) while she was doing his medical check-up and dressing at a hospital room in Kollam. The perpetrator brutally stabbed the on-duty doctor to death during the treatment. This happened on Wednesday in the Kottarakkara neighbourhood. She was a house surgeon at Azeezia Medical College Hospital and was at the taluk hospital as part of her training. He is reportedly a teacher at an upper primary school called Nedumbana UP School and was taken there earlier today by police following an altercation with his family. While investigating his health within a blink of an eye, she sustained multiple stab wounds on her chest, at her back, abdomen and neck. Despite the immediate care and treatment by the medical professionals in the hospital due to severe inner bleedinh she died after a few hours at a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram where she was admitted after the gruesome incident. He also attacked the policemen, who attempted to stop him and brought him there for medical examination. He injured four people along with the doctor and vandalised some areas of the hospital. In response to this startling instance, a division bench composed of Justice Devan Ramachandran and Justice Kauser Edappagath agreed to hold a special session today at 1.45 pm.
An official of the Kottarakkara police informed that the accused was having a wound on his leg treated by the doctor when he became enraged and assaulted everyone nearby with a scissor and a scalpel. The young doctor took the brunt of the assault, while the police officers who were with him were also wounded. The man had called the emergency helpline to save him from his family members after a fight with them. Playing victimized, he had then took a life and injured several people. He was injured when police reached the scene, and they transported him to the Taluk hospital for medical evaluation 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’,”
disclosed a police officer. “He was later subdued with much difficulty and taken into custody,” he added. Although a case for attempted murder under Section 307 of the Indian Penal Code was filed following the attack, he revealed that murder charges would likely be brought against the individual in light of the doctor’s passing. In light of the unfortunate occurrence, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has called for a twenty-four-hour statewide strike today which will last until 8 am on Thursday and will not affect the intensive care units and emergency wings. In Kottarakkara, medical professionals protested against the tragedy by taking to the streets. Other hospitals throughout the state also witnessed similar demonstrations. Doctors around the nation are giving voice for the lost doctor Vandana. Also common people across the world are supporting Vandana and seeking justice through social media platforms. Doctors from the Kerala Government Medical Officers’ Association (KGMOA) and the Indian Medical Association (IMA) both protested against the episode throughout the state. All services would be discontinued today in the Kollam district, with the exception of emergency care, according to a statement from the union of government medical professionals’ president, Dr T N Suresh. It demanded that strong steps be taken to prevent similar situations from happening again and called for exemplary punishment for those accountable for what happened.
Additionally, KGMOA requested the government to swiftly put in place a triage system, ensure proper safeguards are adhered to while putting suspects into custody for medical examinations, and bolster security in hospitals. “Such incidents should not happen. We (doctors) cannot continue working in such circumstances. It is unacceptable that our lives are in danger when we are trying to save lives. We had in the past too indicated our objections to such attacks on medical professionals. We are angry and sad over the incident,” an IMA official asserted while reacting to the deadly assault. Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan arrived at KIMS hospital where the deceased’s body is.
The governor offered his condolences and consoled the grief-stricken parents of the murdered doctor.The CM also expressed his condolences for the doctor’s passing and described the tragic event as shocking and extremely painful. He declared that the matter will be thoroughly investigated.Based on media accounts of the attack, the Kerala State Human Rights Commission opened a case on its own and sought a report from the District Police Chief of Kollam within seven days. The occurrence sparked a political controversy after Health Minister Veena George told the media that the victim was inexperienced and responded fearfully under the circumstance. “Does she mean the doctor was inexperienced to counter or defend against an attack by a man addicted to drugs and alcohol? The statement is a joke,” countered Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president K Sudhakaran. Both the Congress and the BJP slammed the state government, arguing that it had not done enough to safeguard the safety of healthcare personnel at their workpWhile expressing shock and worry over the horrific development, Union Minister of State for External Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs V Muraleedharan remarked it was unfortunate that medical professionals were not protected in Kerala. He noted that the Pinarayi Vijayan administration’s misgovernance, apathy and callousness were destroying the state’s reputation and bringing it into contempt.V. D. Satheesan charged that it was regrettable that the state administration had not taken more steps to safeguard the safety of healthcare professionals. He proclaimed that the health department was experiencing widespread issues, and that little more than inquiries were made public in each case. The Congress leader also criticised the health minister as well, adding that the minister had commissioned the most investigations in the history of the state.
It takes your entire Youth Age to become a Doctor but only a second to lose all of it! Dr.Vandana Das, intern doctor at govt hospital in Kerala was stabbed by a custodian patient & she has expired Reason: The culprit was not handcuffed, The lack of central protection act, Carelessness to guard the medical professionals by authorities The NMC needs a new guideline and it should be: Enter Medical profession at your own risk!
5.5 years of countless sleepless nights, anxiety, depression, lack of family time, toxic atmosphere, all this to realise how precarious life may be at the tip of a forceps, not in the hands of ots, but in the hands of a layman maniac who may be protected with insanity defence, in the middle of police protection. Since we all fall under the same umbrella of “doctors,” anyone of us could experience this. White coats turning reds should stop.
RIP Dr. Vandana Das
