Delhi: Two minors molested in Lady Hardinge’s hospital in a month, two staffers held

Two cases of minor patients being sexually abused by male nursing staff have been reported from Sucheta Kriplani Hospital located inside the Lady Hardinge Medical College campus in the last one month, raising serious questions over the security of patients in the government-run health hub.

In the first case, a 12-year-old girl, who was admitted for a scheduled surgery, was allegedly sedated and molested by a 28-year-old male nursing staff at the hospital. In the other case, a 10-year-old was dragged to a store room of the hospital and sexually abused.

In both incidents, cases were registered at Mandir Marg police station and two hospital staff members arrested.

“In the first case, that was reported on May 31, a 12-year-old girl was admitted for ear surgery. The accused, Hari Ram, allegedly came to the ward and gave her an injection around 10pm. He told her that it was a prerequisite for the surgery. Four hours later when everyone was asleep, he entered the ward again around and molested the girl,” a senior police officer said.

Police said the girl, who was in a semi-conscious state, could not react. But a woman, who was sleeping next to her, woke up.

“The male nurse saw the woman and fled. The woman then raised an alarm. Later, she gave a statement saying she saw the man forcing himself on the girl who was not in her senses. The matter was then brought forth to the authorities and the girl’s parents approached us, following which a case was registered and the accused nabbed,” a senior police officer said.

Jagdish Chandra, director, Lady Hardinge Medical College, confirmed the twin incidents in the hospital and said that female nurses have now been asked to keep a strict watch in the wards. “Both these men were contractual employees. The security at the hospital has been tightened and we have asked the female nurses not to leave any male staff in the wards alone at night. They have been asked to be extra vigilant,” he said.

In the second case, reported on June 22, a 10-year-old girl, who was sleeping next to her grandmother undergoing treatment in the orthopedics ward, was allegedly taken to a store room and sexually abused.

The male nurse in that case, who was later identified as Kartar Singh, allegedly approached the girl around 3am and asked her to accompany him. He allegedly lured her on the pretext of giving her goodies and molested her. When the child started crying, Singh allegedly tried to gag her and choke her.

“The girl started crying out loud, seeing which the accused panicked and fled. The girl then raised an alarm but since everyone was asleep, no one heard her. The next morning when her father came to the hospital, she narrated the episode to him, following which he approached the head of the department at the hospital and even called the police,” a police officer said.

Singh was arrested from the hospital, when he came for his shift that evening.