Kollam: In a tragic incident, a 25-year-old woman doctor was stabbed to death by a school teacher at the Kottarakkara taluk hospital here on Wednesday.

Dr Vandana Das from Kottayam, a house surgeon at the hospital, was stabbed by S Sandeep in poilce custody, while she was treating him.

Health Minister Veena George condemned the incident and appealed to the public to not resort to violence against health professionals.

The incident is the latest in a series of attacks launched at doctors in the State in recent times. In 2022 alone, the state had reported 137 attacks on doctors. 

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has called for a statewide strike on Thursday. Emergency services will be excluded from the strike which will begin from 8 am.

'We are struck with grief when a colleague dies. But when a colleague dies in such a manner it is even more upsetting. Being stabbed in the line of duty is tragic," IMA President Dr Sulphi Noohu said.

In a statement, KGMOA demanded strict action against perpetrators to prevent the recurrence of such 'diabolical' incidents. It called for exemplary punishment of attackers so that it will act as a deterrent.

Past attacks

On March 6, a 60-year-old cardiologist was attacked at Fathima Hospital in Kozhikode by a group of people accompanying a patient. Six people attacked the senior doctor for the alleged delay in treating a pregnant woman after her child died. The doctor had sustained grievous injuries in the attack, including a nasal bone fracture and bruises on his face.  

The Kerala chapter of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) called for a strike in the state after the attack.

Last year, the husband of a woman who was being treated in the neurology section of the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College kicked a lady doctor to the ground after the woman passed away.

In another incident, a group of DFYI workers attacked a security officer at the Kozhikode medical college hospital after he questioned their visiting time. 

With the mounting attacks on doctors and other hospital employees, the Kerala High Court last December expressed concern over such incidents.  The court directed the authorities to register an FIR within an hour of any incident. “The government should ensure security. Are there no police aid posts in hospitals? There are 137 cases this year. Ten cases occur every month,” the court observed.

“Every attack will have to be taken cognisance of by the Station House Officer of the police station concerned not later than one hour from the time on which it is reported to him," the court said.

“This can be under the Special Law applicable, or under the Indian Penal Code; but an FIR will be needed to be registered within the afore time frame, which alone will ensure that the perpetrator/s understands that action is swift and quick", it said.

The court gave this directive while suo motu impleading the State police chief in a case related to the attacks against the doctors and healthcare professionals in the State hospitals.