CHENNAI: In a horrific incident, a lab technician working with a private hospital in the city has been arrested for allegedly sexually abusing a patient while she was undergoing surgery. The woman also claimed that the hospital management, during investigation, tried to brand her as a psychiatric patient and claimed her complaint was fabricated.
The police, however, found from the records that she had been admitted for a knee surgery and had no mental health issues. The accused lab technician, the 26-year-old Dili Babu, confessed to the crime during interrogation.
Following an accident in Bengaluru, where she lived, Gayathri (name changed) came down to the city for knee surgery at a private hospital. She reached the city on June 4 and underwent surgery on June 6.
“I was lying on the operation table when the incident happened,” shudders Gayathri. “The anaesthesia had numbed my body below the hip, but I was conscious throughout the procedure. While all the other doctors, nurses and senior technicians were doing the surgery on my knee, this man came and stood behind my head and started touching me inappropriately,” she said.
“I could not shout because of the oxygen mask.”I insisted the hospital management take a swab test of my hands where the man’s fluids were, but they refused.” Soon after the surgery, Gayathri registered a complaint with the management and they agreed to take action. “But, they lied to me saying they had informed the cops. They even brought in two traffic policemen, saying they were the investigating officers. I could tell from their uniform.”
After four days, Gayathri decided to file an online complaint with the city police. During the investigation, the hospital management allegedly told the police that she was a psychiatric patient and the complaint was fabricated. It was only after reading the patient’s medical file that police came to know she had come for knee surgery.
Dili Babu was arrested and booked under Section 354(a) of IPC and Section 4 of the Women’s Harassment Act. He was sent to judicial custody.