Team News Riveting
Kochi, May 11
A day after Kerala Health Minister Veena George landed over controversy for her remarks, state police on Thursday drew sharp criticism for discrepancies in the First Information Report (FIR) in connection with Dr Vandana Das’ brutal murder.
The 22-year-old house surgeon was stabbed to death by a man brought in for treatment at Kottarakkara Taluk hospital in Kollam district on Wednesday morning. The action of police had triggered a row after the FIR was found to have discrepancies.
The 42-year-old accused, Sandeep, a school teacher, was brought to the hospital by the police themselves after he contacted them for help claiming that he had been attacked by neighbours and relatives. According to eye-witness, Sandeep went out of the procedure room after she finished dressing his wounds and began attacking people including police officials with a pair of surgical scissors.
The incident took place at around 4:30 am, but the FIR stated that the police got information about the incident only at 8.15 am, just 15 minutes before Vandana’s death was confirmed. This despite two police officials being injured in the incident which took place around 4.30 early in the morning, The FIR was registered at 9.39 am.
Kerala’s Opposition leader VD Satheesan slammed the police and accused them of negligence in the case, calling out the discrepancies in the FIR. “The police are now finding ways to get away with their failure in the case. The statements given by the ADGP and what is recorded in the FIR are different,” said Satheesan. “The accused, who is said to be a drug addict, was brought to the hospital along with a home guard without even tying his hands,” he added.
The Kerala High Court had taken a strong exception over the alleged negligence of the police and criticised for letting a person like Sandeep into the hospital without adequate security. The High Court termed the murder of Vandana a result of systemic failure. The division bench asked how the police can justify the 11 stabs inflicted on the deceased.
Kerala’s Health Minister Veena George also faced doctors’ ire for commenting that the slain medico was inexperienced to handle the situation that led to the incident.
