Cleaner ties teen’s hand, molests her inside hospital ICU in Thane

THANE In a chilling incident, a 39-year-old cleaner was arrested for molesting a 14-year-old seizure patient inside the ICU of Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC)-run Kalwa hospital by tying her hand to the bed.

Accused Dinesh Koli, 39, a resident of Kopri, has been arrested. The incident took place around 12.30 am on Saturday. A vigilant female patient on the adjoining bed saved the girl from getting raped, said the victim’s father. The victim, who hails from Kalyan, was admitted to Chhatrapati Shivaji Hospital for treatment since December 16, her father said.

He said since saline was being administered, the victim’s mother had tied her hand to the bed. The accused tied her other hand too.

The female patient on the adjacent bed sensed something amiss and questioned the cleaner’s presence near the victim.

When the accused snubbed her, she started screaming for help. A nurse as well as other staff gathered and the accused was thrashed. “He has been remanded to judicial custody after a day’s police custody,” said investigation officer Ganesh Mugle.

The victim’s father said hospital authorities requested him not to ‘blow up’ the incident with the media.

Hospital medical superintendent Rajiv Korde said, “The contractor has been told to dismiss him. We have taken appropriate security measures and a case has been lodged by the hospital management.”