Mangalore: Doctor accused of sexually assaulting patient, staff deny charges
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (DV)
Updated
Mangalore, Feb 10: A doctor has been accused of sexually assaulting a patient who was admitted to Yenepoya Hospital in Deralakatte.
As per the complaint filed by the girl in Ullal police station, Dr Niyaz, a resident of Kannur pursuing his second year MD at Yenepoya hospital, sexually exploited her when he came to examine her at the hospital.
The girl stated that she was admitted to the hospital on February as she was suffering from fever and cough.
On Sunday February 9, Dr Niyaz visited the hospital to examine her and it was then that he allegedly sexually assaulted her.
As the news spread, members of a few women's organizations barged into the hospital and reportedly thrashed the accused doctor.
The girl was sent for medical examination.
A case has been registered in Ullal police station.
Interestingly, Dr Niyaz got admitted in the same hospital after being thrashed by the women. He has filed a case in Ullal police station against the women for assaulting him, sources said.
Allegations denied
Meanwhile, Dr Prakash Harishchandra, on behalf of the students, residents and staff of the hospital, rubbished the allegations against Dr Niyaz, and in a letter to the vice-chancellor of Yenepoya University said that Dr Niyaz had in fact tried to stop another person from recording a video of an outpatient, when a group of bystanders assaulted him.
The letter states as follows:
"Dr Niyaz, second-year resident post graduate (of Yenepoya Hospital) was assaulted by fellow bystanders in the respiratory medicine outpatient department during the course of the day.
"Dr Niyaz was auscultating a female referral patient in the outpatient department, (when) he noticed an unrelated fellow bystander video recording the incident, at which he objected to the action. This infuriated the bystanders leading to a physical assault on the physician. The incident was in presence of other medical staff and patients.
"As per duties of a doctor, under oath, whenever you come to witness exploitation of a patient, it’s your legal duty to inform the law enforcement agency to necessitate action. Such a fine physician adhering to his principal of objecting wrong was subjected to physical violence and humiliated in our esteemed university.
"The affected individual lies in the SICU having performed his duty undergoing physical pain, mental suffering and having to nurse his wounded ego for years with a mental scar, which may not heal adequately. Where is the esteemed university heading to? The course of events has mandated measures to be taken to reinstall confidence among the students, residents, paramedical and non-teaching staff to provide a safe working environment."
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