Gurgaon: Parents of girl who was molested in ICU say there was no woman staff

Parents of a 16-year-old girl who was allegedly sexually assaulted by two male nurses of a private hospital alleged that there was no women staff on night duty. The hospital, however, has refuted the allegation.

The two nurses were arrested on Monday after the mother of the girl filed a complaint with the Sector 14 police.

“It was shocking that there was no woman in the Intensive Care Unit to attend to my daughter. This is carelessness on the hospital’s part,” the girl’s father, who works with an IT company, said.

He also alleged that the CCTV footage was not available at Shiva Hospital, which they were supposed to share with the police. The hospital has refuted the allegation and stated that available footage was handed over to the police.

The girl’s father said, “I was at the hospital when the incident took place. My daughter was screaming from inside the ICU but the attendants didn’t let me in. I assume such incidents must have taken place several times before as well.”

A case was registered under sections 328 (causing hurt by poison) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC and Section 10 of the POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act.

Although both the accused have been sent to jail, the parents want action against the hospital as well.

Inspector Bhartendra Singh, station house officer of Sector 14 police station, said, “We are looking at all aspects of this case. We are trying to recollect CCTV footage of the night of the incident. The accused are already arrested.”

As per the complaint of the victim’s mother, the girl was admitted to the hospital located in Sector 12 on November 16 after she had mistakenly drank a bottle of insecticide. The accused allegedly tried to touch the girl inappropriately while she was in the ICU under observation, the mother alleged in the police complaint.

When the girl raised the alarm, the duo threatened to kill her, the girl’s parents alleged.

Meanwhile, the hospital authorities said they have provided all required support to the police and have terminated the service of both staff members.

“We have already shared CCTV footage with the police and have increased surveillance in the hospital to avoid such a situation in the future,” said Amit Dabar, managing director, Shiva Hospital.

He also refuted allegations that there was no woman available to attend to the girl. “We always have women staff on round-the-clock duty,” he said.