Police foil attack on doc at health centre, two held

T'puram: In an incident reminiscent of the murder of Vandana Das, a 22-year-old medical intern, at Kottarakkara taluk hospital in May 2023, two men tried to attack a woman doctor with a pair of scissors at a community health centre in Kallara in the district. Timely intervention by personnel from Pangode police came to the doctor's rescue.
The doctor, Hema, 26, locked herself inside a room and called police over the phone. Police personnel present nearby rushed to the hospital and restrained them. Accused, Arun, 34, of Kattumpuram and Shyam, 42, of Mundonikkara, damaged hospital equipment worth Rs 50,000, police said.
According to police, the accused were earlier involved in a clash at a bar hotel. Arun was injured on his head after being hit with a helmet. Hema, who was on duty, asked them to get an OP ticket to get him treated, which annoyed them. They started abusing the doctor. When she started dressing the wound after ensuring that they took an OP ticket, they turned aggressive on being asked not to videograph the treatment. Arun tried to attack the doctor with a pair of scissors he got from the hospital.
The accused were booked under BNS Sections 329 (3) for criminal trespass, 132 for using criminal force against a public servant, 296 (b) for abusing and 351 (3) for criminal intimidation. Sections 3 and 4 of the Kerala Healthcare Service Persons and Healthcare Services Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage to Property) Act-2012 and 3 (1) for the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act were also invoked against them. They were later produced in court and remanded in custody.
Vandana Das was stabbed to death by an inebriated patient, Sandeep, on May 10, 2023.