Woman ‘sexually abused’ in Kerala hospital; physiotherapist suspended

Thiruvananthapuram: In yet another incident of sexual assault at a hospital in Kerala, a physiotherapist allegedly molested a patient at the Government General Hospital in Kozhikode, popularly known as Beach Hospital.

Health Minister Veena George said physiotherapist B Mahendran Nair has been suspended.

Last year, a patient recovering from surgery was allegedly sexually assaulted by an intensive care unit staff member at Kozhikode Medical College Hospital.

The new incident reportedly occurred on Wednesday. The woman had been undergoing physical therapy with a female therapist for some time. On Wednesday, the accused male therapist was conducting the therapy since the female therapist was unavailable.

The woman later informed the therapist about the sexual assault she suffered at the hands of the therapist. She reported it to the hospital authorities and subsequently the matter was reported to the police who registered a case.

It was reported that the accused was on the run.

During the Covid outbreak in 2020, a patient who was shifted to a hospital in Pathanamthitta, Kerala, was allegedly sexually assaulted by an ambulance driver.