A woman who was sexually assaulted by a hospital staff member at Kozhikode Medical College Hospital has been threatened and pressured by coworkers of the accused to change her statement in order to save him. The incident occurred last Saturday while the woman was semi-conscious in the surgical ICU of the hospital, where she was undergoing a thyroid surgery.
After the assault, the woman lodged a written complaint with the medical college superintendent. According to the complaint, a nursing assistant, a Grade I hospital attendant, a Grade II hospital attendant, and a daily wage laborer approached the woman several times on Wednesday, demanding that she change her statement, accept compensation and settle the case.
The woman, who is still at the hospital, has refused to change her statement and lodged another complaint with the superintendent. The coworkers of the accused have been warned in an order issued by the superintendent that the crime is of a serious nature and that they will be solely responsible for the consequences.
A female security officer has been appointed to guard the woman’s room, and the order has directed that she receive free treatment and her daily health status should be reported to the superintendent. Further details regarding the same have been handed over to the department heads and the director of the health department.
The superintendent has given a factual report to the committee, which was set up to investigate the sexual assault. It is expected that the police will take strict action against the accused and his coworkers who have been threatening the victim to change her statement.
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