Odisha: SCB Hospital doctor arrested for alleged sexual assault on 2 women
By : Akshaya Kumar Sahoo
Update: 2024-08-14 12:01 GMT
Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Wednesday appointed a three-member high-level Committee to conduct an inquiry into the alleged "sexual assault" of a doctor in SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack on two women patients. Soon after its appointment, the committee headed by Director of Medical Education and Training (DMET) Dr Santosh Kumar Mishra visited the hospital and began a probe into the incident.
The committee was constituted by the health department after the news of the shameful incident came to light on Tuesday night following a complaint filed at Mangalabag police station in Cuttack. The doctor Thakur Dilbag Singh, a native of Madhya Pradesh, was arrested on Tuesday night.
Singh was allegedly beaten up by the relatives of the victims after the incident. He was admitted to the ICU and arrested after he was discharged from the hospital.
“We have come for an inquiry after the Odisha government constituted a committee based on the allegations that have surfaced. We will submit our report to the government,” said DMET Santosh Mishra.
According to Mishra, already a police case has been registered and the accused doctor has been arrested. On whether the doctor will be placed under suspension as he has already been arrested, the DMET said that a decision will be taken after the committee submits its report.
“Cardiology, gynaecology and forensic medicine and toxicology (FMT) department officials have been quizzed today. The committee will also recommend measures so that such incidents do not recur," DMET Santosh Mishra added.
As per the allegations, the two female patients, suffering from cardiac issues, had recently visited the hospital. The accused doctor subsequently advised the echocardiogram test. On the advice of the doctors, the victims had come for the tests on August 11. The accused doctor took them into the diagnostic unit and allegedly assaulted them sexually.
The Odisha Medical Services Association (OMSA) working committee Khetramohan Kand said that there are guidelines as to who should accompany a female patient taking an examination. As per the guidelines, a female staff of the hospital nursing officer or an attendant of a patient is allowed to accompany a female patient.
“In this particular case, it appears that the guidelines might have been violated. Doctors are considered to be living gods on earth and such acts are condemnable. What exactly happened can be ascertained after the probe by a three-member committee constituted by the Odisha Health Department,” said OMSA president Kand.