The Kerala High Court in the case Adv. Manoj Rajagopal v. State of Kerala & Ors observed wherein seeking Rs. 1 Crore compensation for the bereaved family members of the 23 years old house surgeon who is named Dr. Vandana Das, who was brutally being killed by an injured man who was being brought to the government hospital in the police jeep, in the Kottarakkara, Kollam.
In the said case, the incident occurred during the wee hours of the morning on 10.05.2023, thus, when the house of the surgeon was on duty and she being stabbed multiple times by Sandeep, who being the school teacher using dressing room scissors. Therefore, the attackers in the case were being brought and the attackers were brought to the Kottarakkara Taluk Hospital by the police for treatment of his injuries.
The Division bench comprising of Justice P.B. Suresh Kumar and Justice P.G. Ajithkumar was hearing the present matter. Therefore, the plea filed averred that the said tragedy being the result of systemic failure and yet and the Government in the case has not announced any compensation to the bereaved family. The plea filed stated that Dr. Vandana Das was the only daughter and the death of her cannot be compensated in terms of money. Thus, the doctor’s community across the State has been frequently demanding the Government in order to provide the necessary security to doctors in the Hospitals and the physical attack which being towards the doctors has been increasing day by day.
It has also been submitted by the petitioner in the plea that the State Government had earlier given fabulous amount to the bereaved families who sustained similar losses and for the non-consideration of the present case has also been pained him.
Further, the petitioner in the plea seeks a direction to the State authorities to pay minimum Rs. 1 Crore compensation to the family of the deceased house surgeon, wherein monitoring of the investigation by the Court in order to secure the ends of justice and for the issuance of guidelines for providing security to the doctors, nurses, and other staff in Hospitals across the State and as well as the in all casualties of all Government Hospitals
across the State.
The Division bench comprising of Justice Devan Ramachandran and Justice Kauser Edappagath in the case observed and has seized of the matter to the extent of finding out lapses wherein it led to the tragedy. Thus, it has also been directed by the Police Department in order to put in place protocols for the manner in which persons who are in the custody of the police are to be presented for medical check-ups, with regards to the protection of the doctors, the healthcare professionals, students, interns, house surgeons and the others who are being prioritized.
