The Hindu : Front Page : RML doctor suspended for `assaulting' intern

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Nov 18, 2005

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Front Page

RML doctor suspended for `assaulting' intern

Staff Reporter

Formal inquiry initiated, say police

NEW DELHI: An intern working at Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital alleged on Thursday that the head of the Orthopaedics Department tried to sexually assault him on Monday. While the police have initiated a formal inquiry into the matter, the accused doctor was placed under suspension by the hospital authorities.

"We have suspended the doctor and while further direction from the Health Ministry is awaited, we have set up a high- power committee to probe the matter. The problem first came to our notice when a group of interns along with resident doctors lodged a formal complaint about the alleged assault. The matter has been taken up seriously,'' said the Medical Superintendent, N. K. Chaturvedi, who also held a meeting with various heads of departments in this connection on Thursday evening.

According to the police, the intern has alleged that the incident occurred when he went to the Chanakyapuri residence of the head of Orthopaedics Department on Monday night at the latter's request.

The complainant alleged that the department head was in an inebriated state and when they reached his residence, he tried to force himself on him. But he, somehow, fled from the place.

The intern claimed that as he was in a state of shock, he did not join duty and decided to stay at his friend's place for two days pondering whether to inform the police or not.

On Thursday, he along with his colleagues approached the hospital authorities and the police and narrated the entire episode. In the afternoon, they even beat up the accused in the hospital premises.

Considering the sensitivity of the allegations, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi), Anita Roy, ordered a formal inquiry into the matter. "We would take action against the accused only after proper verification of the complainant's statement," said Ms. Roy, adding that the police were questioning the neighbours of the accused senior doctor and his relatives to corroborate the allegation. It is learnt that when the incident purportedly occurred, a young woman was also present at the residence of the head of the Orthopaedics Department, who would also be questioned in connection with the allegations.

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