PARADIP: Sudden death of a 33-year-old nurse who had last year brought molestation charges against a doctor of Paradip Port Trust (PPT) Hospital has snowballed into a huge controversy with family members accusing the chief medical officer (CMO) of torture.
Basing on the allegation, police have registered a case of murder against CMO Prahallad Panda and begun investigation. The nurse, Nibedita Jena, had gone to the office of the CMO on Saturday to reply a show-cause notice. During the official proceedings, she became unconscious and was shifted to a private hospital in Bhubaneswar where she succumbed on Sunday.
Alleging torture and harassment by the hospital authorities, family members and locals staged a dharna in front of the hospital. Her father Birabhadra Jena accused the CMO of physical torture leading to her death and demanded stern action against him failing which he said protest would be intensified.
In August last year, Nibedita was attending a patient after her duty hours in the hospital when she was allegedly molested by a medical officer. According to her complaint, the doctor Badal Singh allegedly touched her inappropriately and asked her to get into a relationship. He apparently kept pursuing her despite her refusal.
Nibedita went on to lodge an FIR and Paradip Model police detained and interrogated Singh, only to release him later after serving notice under section 41 of CrPC. But after his release, the family said, the doctor kept molesting Nibedita in the hospital.
Even as case was under investigation and a departmental inquiry was initiated, the hospital authorities reportedly started mounting pressure on the nurse and issued show-cause notice to suppress the case.
The 33-year-old had sought intervention of Chairman, Paradip Port Trust and urged for protection for her job. She met the Chairperson of Mahila Commission last month. On Saturday, Nibedita had gone to meet CMO Panda to reply to the show-cause notice. During the proceedings, family members said, she fainted because Panda allegedly physically abused her. She was then rushed to AMRI hospital in Bhubaneswar where she succumbed a day later.
As the news spread, locals gathered at the hospital and demanded immediate arrest of all the accused. They called off the stir later after CISF personnel pacified them. Jagatsinghpur SP Akhileswar Singh said, police have registered a case of murder basing on allegations of the family members and investigation is underway.
IIC of Paradip Model Police Station Subhalaxmi Pujari informed that a murder case has been registered against the CMO of PPT Hospital. "Postmortem will be conducted at Kujang hospital after which the body will be handed over to the family. Exact reason behind the death will be known after we get the autopsy report," she said.