The victim is a 21-year-old staff nurse at the hospital who was on Covid-19 duty. (Representational Image)
A doctor at a Panchkula hospital was beaten up Tuesday by a group of nurses, one of whom has alleged that he tried to sexually harass her on the intervening night of July 11 and 12. The incident occurred when the doctor came out of a meeting of the inquiry committee constituted to probe the allegations.
The alleged sexual harassment incident took place Saturday when the 21-year-old staff nurse was on Covid-19 duty. The accused doctor was also on night duty in the same ward, which he had reportedly exchanged with another doctor. Sources said it was not his shift as per the roster.
He conducted rounds of the ward around 9 pm, but allegedly returned drunk around 12 midnight, said the victim. She alleged that he entered the changing room of the ward, where the victim was resting, and tried to shut the door from inside. “I somehow managed to escape and ran out shouting,” the victim has stated in the FIR.
The RMO, PMO, and others reached the ward following the ensuing commotion. As they tried to take the accused doctor to the hospital’s emergency wing, he reportedly ran away.
ICC formed, FIR filed
The hospital formed an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) comprising four doctors, including those from the sexual harassment committee, which had to begin inquiry Monday. However, no inquiry was initiated as one of the doctors was absent, said hospital officials.
The victim then filed an FIR at the police station under Section 354 A of the IPC, under which any person who tries to use criminal force, intending to outrage the modesty of any woman shall be punished with a term not less than one year.
“Report of the ICC has been submitted to DG. The doctor has been deputed out of the district for 60 days. Police is also conducting a parallel inquiry,” said authorities at the hospital.
The nurses alleged that the hospital is trying to sweep the matter under the rug. “They are trying to dismiss it as ‘misbehaviour’ when it is much more than that,” said Kamaljeet, president. Panchkula nursing association.
“An inquiry is being conducted,” said the police.
A ‘blot’ on the hospital’s image
Doctors from the hospital said that the accused’s running away was suspicious.
“It is a general norm that a doctor goes for a round at 9 pm and then goes downstairs to the doctors’ duty room. He only comes upstairs if there is a matter that needs attention or some emergency. Otherwise, the doctor comes in again only for the morning round. I do not know what happened to bring him back,” said another senior doctor, who was previously on Covid-19 duty at the hospital.
Another doctor has also called the incident a ‘blot’ on the hospital’s image, saying, “The alleged incident is shameful for the hospital. We have to make this a safe space for women.”
The 21-year-old victim hails from a village in Punjab and lives at a paying guest facility in the city.