Cuffs on doctor after molest charge

Mrinalini Sharma, TT, Siliguri, Oct. 21: A doctor of a private nursing home was arrested here today after a 23-year-old girl alleged that he had molested her while she was admitted to the hospital with breathing problems yesterday.

According to the girl’s father, they had admitted their daughter to a private nursing in Matigara, around 6km from here, at 2.30am on Sunday.

The girl alleged that she was molested while being examined by Sujan Pradhan, the residential medical officer of the nursing home.

“My daughter suffers from asthma and had breathing problems so around 2.30am on Sunday so we took her to a nursing home in Matigara. When we reached there my daughter was taken to the emergency unit for an examination,” the father said.

“There were only four male doctors, including Sujan Pradhan, the residential medical officer, in the emergency unit and no female nurses were present. My daughter was admitted after the examination, but there was no cabin vacant at that time and the doctors said she would be kept at the emergency unit and would be shifted to a cabin later in the morning. We then returned home around 4am after admitting her,” he said.

The girl’s father said the incident came to light when his daughter complained to another doctor of the nursing home while he was examining her yesterday morning.

“As we missed the visiting hours in the morning we could meet our daughter only around 3.30pm yesterday. She told us that Pradhan had molested her during the medical examination at the emergency unit during admission. However, my daughter had already complained to P.D. Bhutia, another doctor who had examined her in the morning and had reported the matter to the hospital management,” he said.

“We have filed a complaint with the nursing home authorities and also lodged an FIR against Pradhan,” he added.

Youth Congress organised a blockade at Sevoke More here today for an hour around 11am demanding the arrest of the doctor. They also closed shops in and around Siliguri.

North Bengal development minister Gautam Deb also visited the girl this morning.

“This is a very unfortunate incident. I have asked to the police commissioner to investigate the matter. I have also told the district chief medical officer of health to start an inquiry,” Deb said.

Police arrested Pradhan from the nursing home today.

“We have arrested the doctor and questioned him on the incident. He was produced in the ACJM court here today,” said O.G. Pal, the deputy commissioner of police of Siliguri. The doctor has been remanded in judicial custody till November 4.

Authorities of the nursing home said they suspended the doctor and had constituted a six-member committee to probe into the incident.