SN Medical College Paediatrics resident arrested for sexually assaulting minor patient

Agra: In a shocking incident, a first-year paediatrics resident doctor at Sarojini Naidu Medical College was arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting an 11-year-old girl patient who was admitted to the pediatric department of the hospital.

Apart from arresting the accused and sending him to judiciary jail on the court's order, Sarojini Naidu Medical College Principal Dr Prashant Gupta has suspended the accused and constituted three committees to probe the charges. These three committees are disciplinary, departmental, and internal.

The police arrested the junior doctor and the medical college suspended the accused and constituted three committees to probe the charges. 

According to the police, the doctor, a first-year Post Graduate (PG) student at the Paediatric department was on duty on Tuesday when he allegedly sexually assaulted the girl on the pretext of medical examination while she was undergoing treatment for fever.

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However, the family of the girl claimed that attempts were made to hinder the case by offering them money to avoid taking legal action against the accused doctor. They also alleged that the medical college suggested job opportunities for one of their family members as part of these efforts.

The incident took place after the girl was admitted to the emergency department due to a fever on September 6. When her condition improved, she was shifted to the paediatric department on September 9. The next day on September 10, the doctor allegedly took the girl to his chamber under the pretext of examining her. 

As per the OpIndia news report, the doctor allegedly put his hands inside the victim’s clothes and inappropriately touched her private parts. Following this, the girl ran out of his chamber screaming and clung to her mother who was waiting outside.

The parents who were waiting outside confronted the doctor and protested against his actions. Later, they reported the matter at helpline number ‘1098' and a complaint was filed at the police station. Acting on the complaint, the police registered a case against the doctor under BNS sections 64 (2) (rape by staff) and 65 (2) (rape of woman below 12 years of age) along with sections 5 (e) (punishment for aggravated penetrative sexual assault), 9 (m) (attempt at rape), 6 (aggravated penetrative assault) of the Pocso Act.

Anand Kumar Pandey, the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Agra told The Indian Express, "The medical examination of girl has been conducted and we are collecting more evidence in this regard."

Coming in support of the minor girl, the Junior Resident Doctors' Association President Dr Sahil Bij told TOI, "We have complete faith in the police and the judiciary. We hope that suitable action will be taken against the resident doctor."

When asked about the allegations made by the parents against the medical college to hush their mouths, the principal claimed that the medical college and the police have taken proper action against the doctor who is currently in jail. He indicated that no such attempts to obstruct the case were made by the medical college. Therefore, he refuted the allegations. 

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