Bhopal Gas Victim COVID Patient Raped in Bhopal Hospital, Dies in 24 Hours

Bhopal:

COVID Patient, Survivor of Bhopal Gas Tragedy Raped in Bhopal: A 43-year old COVID patient died after being raped. The incident took place a month ago in a hospital in Bhopal but the incident came to light now. The patient had died within 24 hours of the horrific incident. The police revealed the incident only after the arrest of the suspect.

The patient was admitted to the Bhopal Memorial Hospital and Research Centre on April 6. According to the police, she had complained about the incident, identifying the accused in a statement to a doctor. Sources said that as her condition deteriorated soon after, she was on a ventilator, and then she died the same evening.

The male nurse was identified as 40-year-old Santosh Ahirwar, who was arrested, as the case was registered at the Nishatpura Police Station. He has been kept at the Bhopal Central Jail awaiting trial.

Irshad Wali, Senior Police Officer, said that the victim had given an application to the police, requesting her identity to be protected and the incident not be revealed to anyone.

"That is why the information was not shared with anyone except the investigating team," he said.

The nurse had also sexually assaulted a 24-year-old staff nurse earlier and had been suspended for drinking while on the job in the past.

As per the sources, the woman who died was a survivor of the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy. The association of victims of the disaster has written a strong letter to authorities flagging the "pathetic condition of COVID wards" at the Bhopal Memorial Hospital Research Centre or BMHRC.

It said, "The BMHRC management has done everything in its power to push this heinous and criminal act under the rug and that is precisely the reason why the family of the rape victim was not even informed about the events."

After this horrific incident, the group said that installation of CCTV cameras in all COVID-19 wards, and ensuring sex offenders are not hired by hospitals.

The group also said that the incidents were "a colossal failure" where the administration and security administrator have to be held accountable.

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