Police drive to 4th floor of AIIMS in Rishikesh to arrest molestation accused

AIIMS public relations officer Sandeep Kumar said there was a possibility of an attack on Kumar which is why police had to bring the vehicle inside the hospital

A police team drove to the fourth floor of Rishikesh’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) to arrest a nursing officer accused of molesting a junior resident doctor. A video of the entry of the police vehicle into the hospital premises went viral on social media.

Satish Kumar, the accused, was admitted to the hospital’s psychiatry department. (HT PHOTO)

The vehicle is seen passing through the triage area on the ground floor before reaching the fourth floor using a ramp. It can be seen driving through a crowded hall as hospital security staff make way for the vehicle by pushing stretchers carrying patients out of the way.

Satish Kumar, the accused, was admitted to the hospital’s psychiatry department after he complained about his mental health issues on Monday.

Senior police superintendent Ajai Singh cited primary information and said the vehicle did not pass through the emergency ward but the waiting gallery where the patients are kept before admission. “....the hospital security officers guided the police through an emergency way to take the accused into custody.”

AIIMS public relations officer Sandeep Kumar said there was a possibility of an attack on Kumar and that is why police had to bring their vehicle inside the hospital premises and take it to the fourth floor. “There were protests...the protestors even tried to block the police vehicle.”

Doctors have been protesting outside the office of the AIIMS dean demanding action against the accused.

Shankar Singh Bisht, a local police officer, said Kumar allegedly molested the doctor when an operation was underway on Sunday evening. He added Kumar later sent objectionable messages to her on WhatsApp. Bisht said Kumar also mentally harassed the doctor by sending her a picture of a noose and threatened to kill himself if she complained.

A colleague of the doctor said they took up the matter with the head of the department and a complaint was forwarded to the internal complaint committee. “Despite the complaint, the accused was allowed to perform his duties,” said the colleague.

Kumar was booked under the Indian Penal Code’s Sections 354 (assault or criminal force to outrage modesty) and 506 (criminal intimidation) on Tuesday and arrested the same day. He was suspended on Monday even as AIIMS was investigating the allegations against him.