KASARAGOD/IDUKKI: Tales of violence, perpetrated either by patients or outsiders, continued to emerge from hospitals in Kerala on Thursday, a day after 25-year-old doctor Vandana Das was killed by a patient at Kottarakkara taluk hospital.
Separate incidents of disturbances and violence were reported from hospitals in Kasaragod and Idukki. In Kasaragod, the police overpowered and arrested a 35-year-old Alampadi native for trying to attack them with a knife.
The police said Umarul Farooq, a drug addict fresh out of a mental health facility, had entered the General Hospital with the intention of harming a patient, Aboobakar.
As per the police, Farooq had stabbed Aboobaker, a merchant, in public around 11am on Thursday when the latter demanded the money owed to him by Farooq’s son.
Aboobaker suffered an injury to his forehead, following which he was taken to the hospital. Farooq followed him in an autorickshaw. As he entered the hospital premises, a police team led by Kasaragod SHO Ajith Kumar that had reached the hospital after getting information of the scuffle, overpowered him.
Eyewitnesses said Farooq tried to attack the police personnel with a knife.
“There was a case against Farooq for attacking the police in 2014. He is a drug addict and an accused in many cases. Since his family denounced him, police had taken him to the mental hospital at Kuthiravattom last month. He returned last week,” said an official.
Patient attacks hospital staff, tied to bed
In Idukki, a patient brought to Nedumkandam taluk hospital by the police for treatment attacked health workers in an inebriated condition on Wednesday night. Sources said Nedumkandam resident Praveen, who suffered an injury to his head in a brawl near BS College Junction on Wednesday, was brought to the hospital by the Nedumkandam police.
There, he turned violent and attacked the doctors and nurses when they approached him. On edge following the Kottarakkara incident, the staff refused to treat him without police protection.
The police officials then tied Praveen to the bed, and he was provided the required treatment.
DOCS CALLS OFF STIR
Doctors across the state have called off their 48-hour strike after the government made crucial decisions on ordinances and other measures to enhance safety in hospitals