KOLLAM: A 23-year-old lady doctor, Vandana Das, was stabbed to death on Wednesday at a taluk hospital in Kottarakkara here allegedly by a man who was brought there by police after being involved in a fight with his family members.
According to an officer of Kottarakkara police station, while a wound on the man's leg was being dressed by the doctor, he suddenly got provoked and attacked everyone standing there using a scissor and scalpel.
The brunt of the attack was borne by the young doctor while the police personnel who accompanied the man were also injured.
The doctor was rushed to a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram but could not be saved.
Giving details of what transpired, an official of Kottarakkara police station said the man had called the emergency number to save him from his family members following a fight with them.
When police arrived at the scene, they found him injured and took him to the Taluk hospital for medical examination and treatment.
"He had consumed alcohol and was violent when we took him to the hospital. He was alone with the doctor as we are not allowed into the room when a patient's wound is being dressed.
"Suddenly, there was a commotion and the doctor ran out screaming for help followed by the man who was carrying a scissor and a scalpel and was shouting 'I will kill you'," the officer said and added it was not yet known why he got so violent and targeted the doctor.
When the police officers at the scene tried to stop him, he attacked them too. Besides the doctor, four others were injured by the man who also vandalised some areas of the hospital, the officer said.
"He was later subdued with much difficulty and taken into custody," the officer said.
He also said that after the attack, a case under Section 307 of Indian Penal Code for attempted murder was lodged, in view of the doctor's death, murder charges are likely to be imposed on the accused.
Reacting to the incident, an Indian Medical Association (IMA) official told a TV channel that it was an unfortunate and sad incident and doctors across Kerala will be protesting against the same.
"Such incidents should not happen. We (doctors) cannot continue working in such circumstances. It is unacceptable that our lives are in danger when we are trying to save lives. We had in the past too indicated our objections to such attacks on medical professionals. We are angry and sad over the incident," he said.
The IMA official said the doctor was a house surgeon at Azeezia Medical College Hospital and was at the taluk hospital as part of her training.
Several attempts were made to resuscitate her, but her life could not be saved, the IMA official said.
Medical professionals came out on the streets in Kottarakkara in protest against the incident, according to visuals on news channels.
In view of the incident, the Kerala High Court decided to intervene in the issue. A Division Bench comprising Justice Devan Ramachandran and Justice Kauser Edappagath expressed shock at this incident and decided to hold a special sitting today at 1.45 pm.
