A patient of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) was allegedly sexually assaulted by an ambulance driver in the Pathanamthitta district of central Kerala on Saturday night, authorities said.
Police said the ambulance driver was arrested within hours of the crime.
Police said two women from a family tested positive for Covid-19 on Saturday night. According to the standard Covid-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs) in Kerala, patients can be transported to a hospital only by an ambulance.
Police said the ambulance arrived around midnight and a patient was admitted to a local hospital dedicated to Covid-19. Authorities at the facility advised the driver to take the other patient to another hospital.
Police said the driver stopped the ambulance in a desolate location and raped the 22-year-old patient inside the vehicle. She was also threatened with dire consequences if she revealed her ordeal to someone. She told doctors about the incident upon being admitted to the hospital.
Subsequently, a medical examination confirmed the sexual assault.
Police found that the defendant (29) was involved in several criminal cases, including an attempted murder.
Health officials said he was recruited on a temporary basis and that they were investigating how he got the job.
Health authorities have given strict instructions that each ambulance must have at least two employees and special care must be taken if the occupants are only female patients. They also sought the help of the Kerala police to check the background of all the drivers.
Authorities at the state Health and Family Welfare Ministry said they would order an investigation into the incident.
“It is a shocking incident. The ministry has taken steps to prevent such incidents. From now on more ambulance health workers will be deployed, ”said Veena George, who represents the Arnamula constituency in Kerala’s legislature and is leader of the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist).
KG Simon, Superintendent of Police (SP), Pathanamthitta, said: “It seems to be a well planned crime. The driver took a tortuous route to carry out the crime. We have compiled all the evidence. We will speed up the trial to impose severe punishment on the accused. ”
The Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, KK Shailaja, called the incident “inhumane” and said “it should not have happened.”
The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said the incident embarrassed the state. “We want the health minister to stop taking responsibility,” said State President K Surendran.
The defendant, who is in quarantine, would be brought to court via virtual mode, police said.
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