Police yet to record statements of witnesses

Thiruvananthapuram: Even after two weeks of a woman doctor being assaulted at the medical college hospital, the police have been unable to record the statements of all witnesses in the case.
Of the ten witnesses in the case, the statements of only two male staff, a doctor and an ICU staff, were recorded and the remaining eight are women nursing staff, who were on duty at the hospital during the incident.
Police issued a notice to the hospital superintendent asking all witnesses in the case to reach the station for recording statements.
However, the nursing staff protested against it by stating that as per a circular issued by the DGP, women are not supposed to be called to the station for recording statements.
The nurses’ association sent a notice to the hospital superintendent raising this concern. “Police should come here to record the statement of women staff and it is not fair of the police asking us to reach the station,” said Sushama LT, district secretary of Kerala Government Nurses Association.
However, police said that when they went to the hospital to record the statements, they were busy with patients, and that was when a notice was issued to the hospital superintendent. “We have no problem in going to the hospital, but they must tell us their convenient time. We are ready to go to their houses as well, if they are okay with it,” said a police officer of the medical college police station.
The police said that the available CCTV footage does not show the accused attacking the doctor. “Since the incident happened on the other side of a glass shield, the CCTV visuals are not clear. Due to this, the statements of the witnesses are crucial,” said police.
Dr Merry Francis Kallory (30), a neurosurgeon at the hospital, was allegedly assaulted by Senthil Kumar (59), when informed about the death of his wife Shubha on November 23.
Kumar, a native of Velichikala in Kollam, was later questioned by police. He reportedly told police that he just pushed the doctor in a sudden urge due to the agony caused by the death of his wife. Kumar had earlier received anticipatory bail from a court.