A shocking incident occurred at Coimbatore Medical College Hospital (CMCH) on Wednesday, August 14th, when a 25-year-old man, identified as Mayank Galar from Hoshangabad, Madhya Pradesh, attempted to molest a woman house surgeon. Galar was subsequently arrested and charged under Section 74 of the Indian Penal Code, which addresses assault with the intent to outrage a woman’s modesty, and Section 4 of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act.
The assault occurred around 9 pm when the house surgeon went to retrieve her motorcycle parked near the dean’s office. Galar, after removing his pants, attempted to molest the woman. However, she bravely fought back, pushing him away and fleeing to her hostel on the hospital premises. Galar fled the scene, but was eventually apprehended by security guards at the hospital’s casualty ward at 1 am. The guards then handed him over to the police.
An FIR was registered based on a complaint filed by the resident medical officer of CMCH. The incident sparked outrage among medical students, who staged protests in front of the dean’s office, demanding enhanced security measures within the hospital. Over 150 house surgeons and postgraduate students participated in the protests, calling for a dedicated night patrol team and improved security measures.
CMCH dean Nirmala assured the protesting students that their demands would be addressed. However, the incident highlighted significant security lapses within the hospital. A house surgeon pointed out that a CCTV camera located at the site of the assault was not functioning, and that many surveillance cameras across the campus were also non-operational. Furthermore, they complained of inadequate restroom facilities for house surgeons, forcing them to return to their hostel rooms for basic necessities.
The incident at CMCH comes amidst a wave of concern regarding the safety of medical professionals following an alleged rape and murder case at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9th. This incident has sparked nationwide outrage and ignited a critical discussion about the need for stringent safety protocols and security measures in medical institutions across the country.
