“I am not interested in picking up crumbs of compassion thrown from the table of someone who considers himself my master. I want the full menu of rights.”
– Archbishop Desmond Tutu
(South African activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner-1984)
Kerala as a state is going through too much of conundrums. The state is politically judged by the movie ‘The Kerala Story’, while ‘2018- Everyone is a Hero’ saving the day. Kerala has always been in the forefront of the country related to its high literacy and better standard of living of the people. But recently, the State has been entangled with many controversies with respect to serious mismanagement and maladministration. The death of 22 people at the double decker boat in Poorapuzha estuary of Tanur municipality of Malappuram district in Kerala proved how undeserving candidates receive and sustain operational license for cruise tourism despite complaints from the enlightened locals. Out of them 15 were kids and that makes the incident too depressive and alarming.
But, a very recent case has triggered much more instability to the State though. Violence against medical professionals is a growing menace in this country. But to witness a 23-year-old house surgeon getting stabbed, at the neck and chest multiple times, and killed while police officers where present at the incidental site has caused a shock, not just to the medical fraternity but to the entire nation.
Facts of the case
Dr. Vandana Das, aged 23 years, daughter of K. G Mohandas and Vasanthakumari, resident of Kottayam district, was a house surgeon at Azeezia Medical College. She was stabbed to death on 9th May 2023 at 4: 45 am by Sandeep, aged 42 years, a teacher at Nedumpana U.P School residing at Odanavattam, Kottarakara of Kollam district.
Dr. Vandana had joined Kottarakara Taluk Hospital for a one-month long internship. The perpetrator was alcoholic. He had gone to the police station complaining that he was followed by someone and got attacked at his leg after a fight at his own home. He was brought in by the Police that he had some psychiatric issues and requested them to give him treatment for the same. Police took Sandeep to the Kottarakara Taluk Hospital where he was checked by a doctor. All this while he was peaceful and cooperative. But the minute he saw one of his relative at the Hospital, he got violent and took the surgical scissors, stabbed the relative first and then the police officers. When the police officers ran away to another room, Dr. Vandana was alone with the accused. He stabbed her at her neck, chest and back multiple times; she was given a terrible and undeserving death.
Many prominent persons have condemned what has happened. In an urgent special sitting, of the Division Bench comprising Justice Devan Ramachandran and Justice Kauser Edappagath, the High Court of Kerala on 10th May 2023 has criticized the state government and the police for their incapacity to protect a 23-year-old doctor, saying “its prima facie and ipso facto establishes a complete breakdown of the protectional system”.
Meanwhile the Police department continues to harass common people through corruption, sexual abuses, dowry killings, bribes, thefts (of mangoes especially), physical abuses and malafide investigations.
Major issues
- Whether the protocols, regarding the accused at the Hospital for medical test, abided by?
- Whether the responsible persons used adequate measures to save the medical professional?
- Whether the accused was abnormal by intoxication or psychiatric issues?
- Whether there was any mismanagement from the Hospital authorities?
- Whether the State is responsible for the incident?
- Who all are to be blamed?
Way Forward
All these issues above can only be realized once the case in inquired and investigated properly. But to respect the dignity of the late Dr. Vandana, the investigation and litigation must favour the truth and do justice to her. She deserves a humane treatment. A long-worked dream destroyed in seconds. Lakhs of money made worthless. A vacuum to parents and a disheartening pain to her loved ones. The State officials must consider this a serious issue, deal with it and extract a humane output. Else, it would be a matter of belittling the efforts that the medical professionals have put in to protect and serve the nation during the previous pandemic era and the post pandemic difficulties. They have been struggling to serve us well all this while. The Kerala Government Medical Officers Association has decided to not serve but take up protests at the streets. They have shown their ethics by excluding the causalities and emergency services from these protests. It is too righteous for the honourable High Court of Kerala while hearing the case to add, “the worst has happened. This is what we were scared of. This is the worst nightmare ever. How can we blame the doctors for going on strike now? If you cannot protect doctors, shut down your hospitals,” while hearing the said case.
If the medical professionals do not receive their well deserving justice, that is the most ungrateful thing to do, by a State like Kerala hailed as ‘God’s own country’, rich in culture and values.
well written article. Congratulations