Rape exposes inadequate security at govt hospital
Ministers meet survivor; DME to hold department-level investigation
Published: 23rd April 2022 05:50 AM | Last Updated: 23rd April 2022 05:50 AM | A+A A-
Ministers Taneti Vanitha, Jogi Ramesh and Vidadala Rajini, MLA Vellampalli Srinivas Rao and Mayor Rayani Bhagyalakshmi at the GGH on Friday | Prasant Madugula
VIJAYAWADA: The Rape of a differently-abled woman on the premises of the new Government General Hospital (GGH) has brought to the fore the institution’s inadequate security mechanism. The 23-year-old woman was raped by three contract employees of the hospital on Tuesday and Wednesday. She had been missing from home since April 19.
More than 2,000 people visit the general hospital and Dr NTR Health University and Sciences at Nagarjuna Nagar daily. The GGH, however, does not have any round-the-clock surveillance mechanisms and a majority of the blocks are without CCTV cameras.
“Had there been any CCTV cameras in the rooms, especially in the storerooms, the incident would not have happened. The accused allegedly held the woman hostage for more than 30 hours and no one cared to inspect the rooms,” a GGH employee said on the condition of anonymity.
Immediately after the incident came to light on Thursday, Vijayawada police arrested three men. The woman was found abandoned outside the hospital. Noticing the woman, locals informed the police, who rescued and admitted her to the old GGH.
She told the police that a man, Dara Srikanth Sekhar, had taken her to GGH on Tuesday morning, promising her a job there. On reaching the hospital, he raped her on promises of marriage and then left her at the storeroom. Noticing the woman in the room, his friends, Babu Rao and Pavan Kalyan assaulted her sexually on Wednesday.
Following the incident, Health Minister Vidadala Rajani directed the Director of Medical Education (DME) to conduct a department-level probe. The contracts of the security and the fogging agencies have been cancelled.
“There is a need for more security personnel in all the blocks, beside ensuring periodical inspections. The staff, too, should be monitred round-the-clock,” a visitor, Karunya, opined.
