MYSORE: Dr Neetu, a senior resident of the OBG department at the state-run Cheluvamba Hospital, who allegedly took a long time to examine a rape victim found herself at the receiving end on Thursday.
A source said Medical Education Minister Sharan Prakash Patil has issued orders for her suspension. However, the order did not reach the hospital till 7 pm on Thursday.
It was said the gynaecologist took almost three hours to examine the 23-year-old rape victim from Thayuru village in Nanjagud taluk, a few days ago. However, director of Mysore Medical College and Research Institute Dr B Krishnamuthry and Cheluvamba Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr S Radhamani said Dr Neetu was not at fault.
Dr Krishnamurthy said the medical examination on the girl, which started at 5.30 pm, must have taken almost two hours and there was nothing unusual given the fact that the victim was deaf and dumb and mentally ill.
“She was not cooperating for the examination and her disability warranted a situation where her mother had to be called to decipher her signs for the medical examiner,” he said.
Further, Dr Krishnamurthy said the victim was not brought directly to Cheluvamba Hospital but was referred by the doctors of T Narasipur Hospital after she did not cooperate during the medical examination there. He completely ruled out the allegation that she was made to sleep naked for three long hours. “Can anyone believe a lady doctor to treat another woman in such an inhuman manner. I don’t know who spread false rumours,” he maintained.
The doctor said it was a medico-legal case and the examiner would be held responsible if anything went wrong. “Medical examination of a rape victim is not an easy task which finishes in a few minutes. It’s a long procedure,” he said.
Dr Radhamani said she has taken a written statement from Dr Neetu in which she has refuted the allegations. “The statement says that the victim was not cooperating for the examination by not lying down properly. She had to be counselled to cooperate and her disability was a major hindrance in recording her statement,” Dr Radhamani said.