‘Forced to work in Covid-19 ward’, nurse jumps off hostel bldg, injured

LUCKNOW : A 22-year-old nurse was injured after she allegedly jumped off the first floor of her hostel located inside a medical college campus in Tilhar area of Shahjahanpur on Tuesday evening, police said. The nursing student recorded and shared a video claiming they were being forced to work in Covid-19 ward by the college administration and alleged mental harassment.

Police have lodged an FIR against the principal and two other staff of the medical college and initiated investigation.

Confirming the incident, superintendent of police of Shahjahanpur S Anand said, “The incident occurred at Varun Arjun Medical College in Tilhar area at 6 pm on Tuesday. The nurse jumped from the first floor and was injured. She has been admitted to medical college hospital.”

“They are not increasing our salaries and we don’t even have a health insurance, they torture mentally, stopped my food and force us for duty,” the nurse could be heard saying in the video.

In a police complaint, the mother of the girl has alleged that her daughter was forced to work in Covid-19 ward and was not given protective equipment mandated by the central government. “The management threat

ened to cancel her diploma. She was also threatened and was not provided food,” the mother has alleged in the police complaint.

Based on her complaint, police have lodged an FIR under section 342 (wrongful confinement) and 506 (criminal intimidation) at Tilhar police station.

Other nurses and some nursing students at the hospital staged protest inside the campus accusing the college administration of harassment on Wednesday.

Senior police and administrative officials of the districts interacted with the students and assured them of their support.