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Rape incident: two nurses suspended

By Our Special Correspondent

KOZHIKODE JULY 19 . Two nurses of the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital were today placed under suspension in connection with the incident in which a 23-year-old woman was reportedly raped in the bathroom of the hospital.

The nurses (K. C. Achamma and V. V. Rakhi) were on duty at the time of the incident. They have been suspended on charges of neglection of duty. The orders were issued by the District Medical Officer (DMO) this evening.

Meanwhile, the case has taken a curious turn.

The chairperson of the State Women's Commission, M. Kamalam, said the woman had told her she was not raped. The chairperson had talked to her at the MCH about the incident. The woman had replied in the negative when asked if she was raped. The police, however, stick to its charge that she was raped.

Speaking to The Hindu today in Thiruvananthapuram, the Women's Commission chairperson said the woman had clearly told her she was not raped. "I asked her if she was raped. She shook her head, indicating she was not. I put this question to her three times. Each time, she answered in the negative'', Ms. Kamalam said.

But the woman who had suffered burn injuries when she tried to commit suicide in Wayanad, told the chairperson that the accused in the case, Subramanian, had used his hands and fingers in all parts of her body.

She was given a bath by Subramanian (who was not an employee of the hospital) at the request of her relatives. The hospital authorities said there were no instructions in the patient's casesheet to give the woman a bath and that it was the woman's relatives who had called in Subramanian to give her a bath. The incident occurred on July 12.

According to the preliminary report prepared by the RMO of the MCH, the woman had complained she felt pain when the gloved finger of the accused had touched her private parts while he was giving her a bath.

The City Police Commissioner, Sanjeev Patjoshi, today told The Hindu there was no change in the police case since the victim had told the investigating officer who recorded her statement about the incident that she was raped. The accused has been booked under Sections 376 (rape) and 377 (unnatural sexual offence).

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