Bengaluru: In a shocker, a 54-year-old woman patient, who was admitted to Fortis Hospital with dengue, was allegedly molested by a male medical attendant. The incident took place on October 6 and the accused, who was arrested, was released on bail.
The accused, Shivakumar, 32, a resident of Kalyan Nagar in HBR Layout, was arrested after a complaint was filed by the victim’s husband. The incident occurred at the hospital’s Cunningham Road branch, on the midnight of October 6, the same day the victim was admitted to the hospital with dengue fever, the complaint states. “She was on bed no. 354 on the third floor of the hospital. Around midnight, Shivakumar went to my wife’s bed and on the pretext of checking her, touched her private parts. My wife informed my son, who was in the hospital. He called me in the morning and told me about it. I rushed to the hospital and my wife narrated me the incident in detail,” the complainant told the police.
The police said that they rushed to the hospital and arrested Shivakumar, who was on duty. Shivakumar, who is married with two children, joined Fortis Hospital three months ago. He was reportedly working in another hospital before joining Fortis. After the incident, Fortis Hospital terminated his service. The accused, who was produced before a magistrate, was remanded to judicial custody. The court granted him bail on October 16.
"It is true that the male medical attendant at Fortis Hospital molested my wife. I told the police whatever my wife narrated me and they have also taken a statement from her," the victim's husband told Deccan Chronicle.
I was just doing my duty, says accused
The police said that the accused told them that he had not committed any crime. “He claimed that he was just doing his duty and had no other intentions. He said he was checking on the
urinary catheter and the woman mistook him,” the police said.
The accused has been booked under IPC section 354A: A man who commits physical contact and advances involving unwelcome and explicit sexual overtures; or a demand or request for sexual favours; or showing pornography against the will of a woman; or making sexually coloured remarks, shall be guilty of the offence of sexual harassment.
