COURTESY HT OCT 29

Patient on ventilator raped by hospital worker in Gurugram
Leena Dhankhar

leena.dhankhar@htlive.com

Gurugram : A 21-year-old tuberculosis patient admitted in Fortis Hospital in Gurugram’s Sector 44 was allegedly raped by a member of the staff while she was in a semi-conscious condition on ventilator in the intensive care unit (ICU) of the hospital, police said on Wednesday.

The patient gained consciousness on Tuesday and informed her father about the incident through a handwritten note, police added. The family then approached police and a case was registered.

Police said the family suspects the incident took place between October 21, when she was admitted, and October 27, when she gained consciousness. The victim is still under treatment at the hospital. According to police, the victim is a resident of Mahendragarh and was taken to the hospital after she complained of breathing issues. Police said she is undergoing treatment for tuberculosis and was in isolation in a private room of the ICU when the incident took place.

Usha Kundu, assistant commissioner of police (HQ), said the father of the patient went to meet her on Tuesday, and she tried to convey him through written messages that she was raped. “The hospital conducted an investigation internally and we were informed by the family (about the crime), following which we have registered a case under section 376 (2) (E) of IPC at Sushant Lok police station. We have identified the suspect but are yet to arrest him,” she said