Kerala: Doctors on flash strike after woman doctor stabbed to death by patient

Thiruvananthapuram: In a shocking incident, a 23 year old lady doctor was stabbed to death by a person who was brought for medical treatment by police at the Taluk hospital Kottarakkara in Kollamp district of Kerala on Wednesday morning.

The victim Vandana Das a final year student of MBBS at the Azizia Institute of Medical Science and Research, Kollam was doing her house surgency at the Taluk hospital. She belongs to Kaduthuruthy in Kottayam district.

The incident took place at 4:30 am on Wednesday when police brought the accused S Sandeep,42, a teacher working with an upper primary school, for treatment of injuries that he had sustained during a brawl.

Hospital staff said Sandeep attacked the doctor all of a sudden without any provocation. He used the scalpel and scissors to stab Vandana at least six times. The doctor sustained serious stab injuries on her chest, throat, neck and back.

She was rushed to a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram but her life could not be saved. The injuries on the neck, abdomen and back proved fatal as it led to severe blood loss.

Earlier the police had taken the accused Sandeep into custody after he had a fight with his neighbors. Since he sustained injuries in the brawl, the police brought him to Kottarakkara taluk hospital.

While the doctor was dressing the wounds, Sandeep picked the scalpel and scissors from the dressing room and unleashed a sudden attack on her.

The accused didn't stop at that, he further attacked five other persons including the home guard and vandalized the doctors room. Subsequently the cops and bystanders overpowered him and he was taken into custody.

Sandeep was reportedly under treatment at a deaddiction centre.

A section of doctors said that the police should have handcuffed Sandeep or taken adequate precautionary measures as they were aware of his violent nature. Moreover he was taken into custody after a violent brawl with the neighbors. There was prima facie negligence on the part of police.

Meanwhile, doctors of government and private sector went on a flash strike following a call given by the Kerala chapter of IMA and various doctors organizations in protest against the brutal murder of the their colleague.