Lab technician assaults 12-year-old girl in Howrah's govt hospital
PTC News Desk: In the wake of the recent rape and murder of a doctor in Kolkata, a lab technician at another state-run hospital in West Bengal's Howrah district has been accused of assaulting a 12-year-old girl.
According to reports, the girl was hospitalised the previous week. The incident occurred on Saturday evening, and according to a hospital official, an FIR has been filed and the accused has been arrested.
The incident took place on Saturday at about 10 p.m. at Howrah district Headquarters Hospital, where the 12-year-old girl had been admitted the previous week with pneumonia. According to India Today, after being brought for a CT scan, she emerged from the facility in tears and sought help from a relative of another patient.
According to reports, a family member later reported that the child left the laboratory in tears, stating that the lab technician had touched her "inappropriately and threatened her with severe consequences" if she told anybody about the incident.
The girl's mother, who was waiting outside, rushed to her daughter's side when she heard her cries and swiftly called the police.
The incident sparked uproar among locals, and family members of the victim gathered at the hospital to protest, with some allegedly attempting to confront and assault the accused.
Police arrived at the incident and intervened to rescue the accused, Aman Raj, from the angry crowd. He was arrested in response to a complaint lodged by the girl's family, and officials said an investigation is ongoing.
"An FIR was filed at Howrah Police Station, and the accused was apprehended. We have asked for an explanation from the private partner who performed the CT scan on the victim. We will report this to higher authorities and take appropriate measures," stated Narayan Chattopadhyay, Superintendent of Howrah Government Hospital.
"The arrested individual worked for the private-public partner... We are providing security for the victim and her family. Repair work was being done in the CT scan room, which unexpectedly started in the evening. We were unaware of it," he added.
- With inputs from agencies
