Chennai, June 29 (BPNS)
The Vellore district police have constituted special police teams to monitor the city limits and to increase patrolling in the city, after two rapes of medical professionals, one a doctor and the other a nurse in a span of three months has created a nightmare for the medical professionals. It is to be noted that the doctors and nurses work round the clock and sometimes go back home in the wee hours and the recent rapes have brought a difficult situation for the women hospital employees including doctors and nurses.
On March 16, 2022, during early hours, a lady doctor from Bihar working in a prestigious hospital in Vellore was gang-raped by five persons including two juveniles. They held the male friend of the doctor in captivity and later forced him to shell out Rs 40000 using the ATM card.
The gang escaped after threatening the doctor and her friend with dire consequences if they revealed this to anyone. The lady doctor left for her native Bihar, the next day and from there filed an online complaint leading to the arrest of all the five including the juveniles. Three of them were sent to prison and the juveniles to shelter homes.
As if a repeat of the story on Saturday night, a nurse who was returning home after work was forced to drink alcohol in a moving car and raped. She reached her home on Sunday morning and attempted to kill herself. The family on coming to know of the trauma lodged a complaint with the police leading to the arrest of three people including an advocate.
Vellore is a very important district of Tamil Nadu nearer to the state capital Chennai and houses the prestigious Christian Medical College, Vellore. One of the country’s largest and rated college, Vellore Institute of Technology is also situated in this town.
Somasundaram, a local restaurant owner of Vellore while speaking to BPNS said, “ Vellore is a good town and has been developing by leaps and bounds. CMC Vellore and VIT bring thousands of people to this city and even the Railways have upgraded the station taking into consideration the huge rush. However, the police have to act tight and responsibly as a gang rape happening in the town three months after a doctor was raped has brought a bad reputation to the city. This has to be cleared and government and district administration must act tough.”
He said that the perpetrators of crime, especially that against women must be dealt by an iron hand, and if the police don’t act tough, then situation of Vellore will turn worse and people will shy away from coming to the town.
Social activist and research scholar in social sciences, Kumarapandyan who stays at Vellore while speaking to BPNS said, “ The two gruesome rape incidents in a span of three months have given a bad reputation and name to Vellore. It is for the people of the town in association with the district administration and the police to bring an end to this menace. Once a city loses its name, it will be very difficult to regain it and Vellore is slowly losing that. We have to bring back the lost glory of the town and everyone must be in unison regarding such issues.”
Superintendent of Police Vellore, Rajesh Kannan told BPNS that the police team have swung into action immediately after getting information about the incident and arrested all three people who have been accused of the crime. He said that there was no need for panic and that Vellore is safe for women and patrolling will be increased at all the odd hours of the night.
