Dharmapuri rape case: Government moves medical council against staff

CHENNAI: The directorate of medical education has complained to the Tamil Nadu Medical Council and sought action against six government doctors of the Dharmapuri Medical College and Hospital for “not recording the rape” or labelling “medico-legal” in the case sheet of a minor who was raped by two men. She died at the hospital in November 2018.

In February, state health secretary Beela Rajesh had written to director of medical education Dr A Edwin Joe, ordering action against the doctors for negligence in handling the sensitive case . “We have now received a formal complaint seeking action against the doctors. We will be calling for reports and conduct an enquiry,” said council president Dr K Senthil.

On November 5, 2018, a 17-year-old Class XII student, was raped by two men at Sittilingi village in Dharmapuri when she had ventured into a field to relieve herself. She was taken to the Harur government hospital, where duty doctors said it was a rape and an FIR was filed. The same day, she was referred to a children’s home in Dharmapuri. However, the next day, she was brought to the Dharamapuri Government Medical College and Hospital with complaints of severe bleeding, giddiness and vomiting. She died in the hospital on November 10. While the body was being handed over the family, social workers alerted police and doctors, following which, an autopsy was ordered.

Preliminary inquiries conducted by the health department found no mention of rape in her case sheet at the Dharamapuri hospital. Considering this as serious negligence on the part of the doctors, the health secretary asked the director to initiate disciplinary proceedings and move the medical council.