3rd year MS Orthopaedics medico allegedly assaults Thai woman at SMIMER boys hostel

Surat: In a shocking incident, a third-year postgraduate student of the orthopaedic department at Surat Municipal Institute of Medical Education and Research (SMIMER) has been accused of slapping a Thai girl in an argument after bringing her to the boys' hostel of the institute.

The accused, a postgraduate medical student in the orthopaedic department, reportedly assaulted the girl by slapping her multiple times before she was able to escape the room. She then sought assistance from the institute's security staff by shouting 'danger'.

When the issue came to light, the authorities conducted a preliminary inquiry and found that the girl of foreign nationality was indeed present in the boy’s hostel campus.

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In response to the alleged assault, the dean of the institute Dr Dipak Howale ordered an enquiry by setting up a committee to probe into the matter. The committee consist of five senior professors from different departments of the institute and one assistant law officer of the Surat Municipal Corporation. They have been asked to submit a report soon and action will be taken accordingly against the doctor.

This action was taken after the Thai girl filed an informal complaint at the police station against the doctor. According to the police, the girl works at a massage parlour and holds a valid work permit.

As per the complainant, the doctor contacted her to meet and then brought her to the hostel on his bike. Following this, an argument broke out and the doctor allegedly slapped her. In fear, she escaped the room and sought help from the security staff.

As per an Indian Express news report, Varachha police inspector A N Gabhani said, “After primary inquiry, we have come to know that the incident took place between 2.30 am to 3.00 am Sunday. An SMIMR student, who found the woman’s contact online, convinced her to meet and called her at a deserted place in Vesu. Later, the doctor brought her to the hostel on his bike.”

“After they came to the hostel, there was a fight between them and the man allegedly slapped her. The woman felt scared and screamed for help. She escaped from the room and sought help from the security staff. Our teams reached the spot and brought her to the police station where her statements were recorded. When we asked her to register a complaint, she denied it. We later let her go. If she would have registered a complaint, then we would have definitely called the doctor and have recorded his statements. She only speaks English and we called her friend who had given assurance to take her home safely,” Gabhani added.

As per TOI sources, the doctor was earlier suspended from the college for six months for allegedly attacking a junior doctor in Aug 2023 captured on CCTV camera.

“An inquiry will be carried out by senior teachers of SMIMER. They will submit the report based on the findings along with proof. It is a serious issue, and strict actions will be taken,” said a senior official of SMIMER.

Speaking with The Indian Express, Dr Howale said, “I came to know about the incident late in the morning and I called the meeting and constituted a team of five professors. The team has started an inquiry into the incident. The teams will take statements of the warden, alleged accused (a resident doctor), the victim and others. We have given them time of one week and once we get the report, it will be forwarded to Surat Municipal Commissioner’s office for further action. As per rules and regulation, if the doctor is found guilty, strict action will be taken so that in future nobody dares to commit such a thing.”

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