In a shocking incident, a 22-year-old woman doctor was stabbed to death by a detainee who was brought for medical treatment by the police at the Government Taluk hospital Kottarakkara in Kerala’s Kollam district early on Wednesday morning.

The accused fatally stabbed the lady doctor, Vandana Das, at around 4 am on Wednesday. She succumbed to her injuries at a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram later.

The victim did her MBBS at the Azizia Institute of Medical Science and Research, Kollam and was doing her house surgery at the hospital. She belongs to Kaduthuruthy in the Kottayam district.

The police said the accused S Sandeep, 42, a teacher in an upper primary school, also attacked four others at the hospital, including policemen, who brought him to the hospital for medical examination.

Police sources said Sandeep was taken into custody from his house on Tuesday night after he turned violent and attacked his family members. They went to his house after his family members made complaint about Sandeep’s violent behaviour.

As the accused had sustained a minor wound on his leg, a police team took him to the hospital for mandatory medical examination, where he turned violent without any provocation.

Eyewitnesses said Sandeep seized the surgical scissors in the dressing room of the hospital while Vandana  Das was attending to his wound. He stabbed repeatedly in the chest and the neck of the young doctor and also attacked the policemen who had taken him to the hospital. Sandeep was reportedly under treatment at a de-addiction centre.

Though the young doctor was rushed to a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram, her life could not be saved. The injuries on her neck, abdomen and back proved fatal as it led to severe blood loss.

Indian Medical Association (IMA) office bearers said the police failed to handcuff the detainee, who was overtly violent at the time of his arrest and later at the station house. They alleged the police could not subdue the assailant or prevent the attack.

Following the incident, doctors in government and private hospitals in Kerala have gone on a flash strike. The strike call was given by the Kerala chapter of IMA and various doctors organizations in protest against the brutal murder of the young doctor.

The Kerala High Court on Wednesday came down heavily on the state government and the police over the killing of the young lady doctor, saying it indicated their failure to protect doctors.  The court said that the facts prima facie establish a complete breakdown of the system to protect the doctor.

In a special sitting held on Wednesday, the court directed the state Police chief Anil Kanth to appear before it on Thursday at 10:15 am and submit a report regarding the murder of the  young house surgeon in  the  government hospital.

A division bench comprising Justice Devan Ramachandran and Justice Kauser Edappagath also ordered that CCTV visuals of rooms or places of occurrence of the incident that led to the death of the young doctor be preserved and that superintendent of the hospital will be held responsible if found otherwise. The Bench has also directed that a Judicial Magistrate should conduct a physical inspection of the hospital and report by Thursday.

 The court said the police are trained and expected to protect women and children, but they failed to protect the young doctor.

 “Why doesn’t the government shut down the hospitals, if it can’t guarantee the safety of doctors,” the court asked.

Justice Devan Ramachandran asked a senior government pleader, “The worst has happened. Has this happened anywhere else? Are we the first in this also?”

“We are looking at the death of a young girl, a student. Look at the loss to the family, for what? All because she tried to be a good doctor and treat the patient,” Justice Ramachandran added.

The court asked what the protocol is in presenting an accused before a Magistrate. “What if a Magistrate is attacked? What is the protocol? There are hundreds of accused presented even in their houses”, the court said. “Why is that protocol not being followed in the cases of doctors? Are doctors not important,” asked Justice Ramachandran.

“Any life is precious, more so in the case of a student. How do we face the parents? She is killed in a government hospital. Who is responsible,” the court said.

Responding to the incident, KPCC president K Sudhakaran said the situation in Kerala is that anyone can be attacked anywhere. Drug mafia and gangsters are taking over Kerala. The accused in this crime is not an ordinary person, but a teacher .It is alarming  that the drug mafia has spread even to those who teach our children,  he said.