ICU sexual assault case: survivor joins protest staged by nursing officer

The survivor in the ICU sexual assault case on Friday joined the cause of Senior Nursing Officer P.B. Anitha who has been protesting in front of the administrative block of the Government Medical College, Kozhikode, since April 1, demanding her reinstatement there.

Ms. Anitha, a key witness in the ICU sexual assault case, had procured an order from the High Court against her transfer to Idukki, demanding that the Director of Medical Education give her back her former position.

However, the Administrative Officer of the Medical College did not heed the order following which Ms. Anitha launched a protest, which has since then garnered support from various human rights and political organisations.

The incident occurred on March 18, 2023. A woman was allegedly sexually assaulted by an attender in the intensive care unit of the hospital while she was still under sedation following a thyroid surgery.

Ms. Anitha, along with the Chief Nursing Officer and Nursing Superintendent, gave statements in her favour to the police as well as the investigation panel set up by the Directorate of Medical Education.

The three nursing officers were transferred to Idukki on November 28 following which the trio appealed before the administrative tribunal. While the tribunal offered an injunction order on the transfer of two of them, it did not support Ms. Anitha. Hence she moved the High Court.

“The government is yet to cite a reason for punishing me. I was just doing my duty by offering my protection to the survivor. I would have done the same had it been anyone,” Ms. Anitha said.

Survivor’s stance

“Ms. Anitha only did what the Hospital Superintendent or the Head of the Department should have done. She is being punished for supporting me,” said the survivor, while questioning the ‘double standards’ of the administrative tribunal in granting injunction order on the transfer of two of the three nursing officers.

Meanwhile, the State government has decided to file a review petition at the Kerala High Court against the order in favour of Ms. Anitha. Health Minister Veena George has maintained that Ms. Anitha was punished for her supervisory lapse, as the untoward incident took place while under her watch.

“We were only trying to ensure justice to the survivor and did not care who was on the other side,” she told reporters on Friday.

The District Congress Committee has offered support to Ms. Anitha and decided to take over the protest if it continues for long.

“Five workers of the Mahila Congress will be part of the protest,” District Congress Committee president K. Praveen Kumar said.

Senior Nursing Officer P.B. Anitha staging a protest on Friday.