Thiruvananthapuram: Another shocker from Kerala yet again. A woman, who was under quarantine, has alleged that she was raped by a health worker recently. The accused, a junior health inspector at a primary health centre, was arrested Monday. A case under IPC section 376 (rape) registered against the health worker, police said.
The incident came to light a day after a 19-year-old woman was raped by an ambulance driver. The woman was being shifted to a COVID-19 care centre at Pandalam in Pathnamthitta district Saturday midnight.
A police officer said the 44-year-old woman was working as a home nurse at Malappuram. She had returned to her home at Kulathupuzha recently and was asked to undergo quarantine by the health inspector. She also underwent an antigen test which was negative. The victim was told by the man to collect the test certificate from his flat at Barathanoor, police said.
The woman in her complaint stated that she went to his house September 3. She alleged she was sexually attacked after being tied up and was allowed to leave only the next day.
Meanwhile, the Kerala unit of Women’s Commission has on its own registered a case against the health inspector. It has directed the Kerala Health Secretary to initiate disciplinary action against him.
Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala assembly Ramesh Chennithala condemned the incidents. He said the two incidents of rape have brought shame to the state. These incidents shows the ‘serious lapses’ on the part of the health department, he alleged.
