This story is from September 6, 2020

Kerala: Covid-19 patient raped inside ambulance in Pathanamthitta

Kerala: Covid-19 patient raped inside ambulance in Pathanamthitta
Representative image.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a shocking incident, a 20-year-old Covid-19 patient was allegedly raped by the pilot (driver) of an ambulance in which she was being taken to hospital in an ambulance. The horrific incident took place inside an ambulance under Kaniv 108 ambulance service of the state government at Aranmula in Pathanamthitta district on Saturday night. The police have arrested the ambulance driver, Noufal V, 25, of Pallichira House in Kayamkulam in Alappuzha district on Sunday invoking relevant sections of rape under IPC.
The private firm, GVK EMRI, that manages the operations of Kaniv 108 ambulance service terminated Noufal from service after receiving directions regarding the same from Health Minister K K Shailaja.
Pathanamthitta district chief K G Simon said that the alleged crime took place when the young woman was being taken to her uncle’s residence at Vadakkedathukavu near Adoor to the Covid special hospital at Pandalam.
"She was first picked up from the house around 10pm by one ambulance and dropped at the CFLTC at Adoor. From there, Noufal picked her up along with another elderly woman, who too was tested positive on Saturday. He dropped the elderly woman the CFLTC at Kozhancheri near Aranmula’’, Simon said adding that it was after this, Noufal parked the ambulance in a secluded location not far away from Aranmula and raped her. After committing the crime, he then dropped her at Pandalam CFLTC and fled. The woman informed the matter to the staff there, who in turn alerted the police.
The SP added that the accused, who has been working with Kaniv 108 ambulance service for nearly one year, was involved in an assault case in Alappuzha in which he was booked for attempt to commit culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
Pathanamthitta District Medical Officer A L Sheeja said that since the Kaniv 108 ambulance service was managed by a private firm, government nurses rarely accompanied the ambulance driver unless the patient’s condition was serious.
"As per regulations, an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) has to be in the ambulance, but in this case only the driver was present. We do not know the reason why the EMT was absence’’, the DMO said.

The DMO also said that the rape survivor was one of the 148 persons, who were declared positive in the district on Saturday. She was a close primary contact of her mother and sister, who were tested positive three days ago. After her mother and sister were admitted to the Pandalam CFLTC, she moved in to her uncle’s residence at Vadakkedathukavu.
‘’There was a delay in tracking her as we first went to her residence at Pandalam’’, the DMO said explaining why the ambulance was sent at night to pick up the woman.
The state women’s commission has registered a case suo motu in connection with the incident and has sought a report from the Pathanamthitta police chief.
(The victim's identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme Court directives on cases related to sexual assault)
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