The nurse has alleged that the four accused filmed the assault and threatened to kill her if she informed the police
The nurse has alleged that the four accused filmed the assault and threatened to kill her if she informed the police
A nurse was allegedly gang-raped by four persons, including a minor, at a health centre in the newly formed Manendragarh-Chirmini-Bharatpur district of Chhattisgarh on October 21.
It is further alleged that the men gagged and tied the woman, filmed the assault and threatened to kill the victim.
Three of the four accused have been held while one of them is at large, said the police on October 23 morning.
“Three of the four accused went inside the health centre. According to the victim, one of them raped her while the other two assisted him in committing the crime,” said Deputy Superintendent of Police Nimesh Bariyya.
The nurse has purportedly told the police that the accused untied her before leaving and threatened to kill her if she informed the police.
Mr. Bariyya said that the victim was alone at the health centre where the alleged incident took place. A nearby school was also closed, leaving the health centre completely isolated, he added.
The victim subsequently went home and told her parents about the incident who approached the police. An FIR was registered on her complaint. The accused were all from the same vicinity. However, they were found to be absconding. The police then launched a hunt for the accused and three of them were held in a nearby jungle.
“The main accused has claimed that he is a minor and we are verifying his documents to ascertain further,” said Mr. Bariyya.
The incident has left other female health workers at the health centre fearing for their safety and they have refused to return to work till proper security arrangements are made.
“We need security. When a patient walks in, we are not aware of his intentions. We cannot turn them away. All the accused must be given strict punishment and till that is done and proper security arrangements are made we won’t join duty,” said Pratima Singh, a fellow nurse called community health officer.
The incident has triggered sharp reactions from the Opposition BJP in the Congress-ruled State.
Former minister Bhaiya Lal Rajwade said that nothing could be more shameful than a female health worker not being safe in a health centre while demanding the resignation of the local Congress MLA Vinay Jaiswal and the entire State Cabinet.