Cops drive SUV into AIIMS Rishikesh ward to arrest sexual harassment accused

In a dramatic turn of events, the Uttarakhand police drove an SUV inside the emergency ward of AIIMS Rishikesh to arrest a nursing officer accused of molesting a female doctor on May 19. The incident’s video has now gone viral on social media.

In the 26-second clip, the SUV is seen driving through a crowded emergency ward, with rows of patients in beds on either sides. A group of security officials are seen clearing the way for the SUV, pushing stretchers carrying patients out of the way. The car zooms ahead with several police officers visible inside it. Many users on social media have slammed the police approach, terming it as the “height of insensitivity”, as they felt that the move disrupted treatment of the patients.

“The nursing officer allegedly sexually harassed a woman doctor inside an operation theatre at the premier health facility. Satish Kumar, now suspended, had also allegedly sent an obscene SMS to the doctor,” Rishikesh police officer Shankar Singh Bisht told news agency PTI.

A case was registered against him under sections 354 (assault or criminal force on a woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 506 (criminal intimidation). A native of Rajasthan, Satish Kumar was suspended and arrested on Tuesday on charges of molesting the female doctor inside the theatre.

The incident sparked anger among the hospital's doctors, who proceeded on a strike and protested outside the dean's office demanding that the offender be sacked. They demanded the nursing officer's immediate termination of service and said that suspension was not enough for the offence he had committed. Seeing the large number of protesting doctors on the campus, the police decided to drive into the hospital to arrest the accused.

Meanwhile, taking note of the matter, Uttarakhand State Commission for Women chairperson Kusum Kandwal met the AIIMS administration and asked them to investigate the issue and take action against the culprit. She also called for the formation of a committee to probe the incident.