Man Sexually Abuses 2 Minors In Hospital Elevator For Several Days: Police

KEY POINTS

A 47-year-old ward boy was accused of molesting two minor siblings, aged 13 and 14, inside a hospital's elevator
The sisters were allegedly targeted between Thursday and Saturday, while they were visiting their mother in the hospital
The ward boy has been arrested and faces several charges

A 47-year-old hospital worker in the Indian state of Goa was arrested Sunday after he allegedly molested two minor siblings inside the hospital's elevator, police said.

The unnamed ward boy allegedly molested the two sisters, aged 13 and 14, in the government-run North Goa District Hospital in Mapusa, Panaji, between Thursday and Saturday, The Times of India reported, citing a police official. The siblings had been frequently visiting their mother, who was admitted to the hospital.

"The ward boy used to follow them in the lift and allegedly molested them over the last couple of days," the official said, quoting a complaint filed by the family members of the victims.

The suspect was arrested following the complaint. A case was then registered against him under Section 354 (assault or criminal force to a woman with intent to outrage her modesty) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), as well as provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, the official said.

Additionally, police also registered a case against a Mapusa-based doctor, who allegedly molested a female patient in his clinic on Sept. 22, according to the official.

The doctor had behaved inappropriately with the woman during her checkup, the woman claimed in her complaint. He has since been moved to a local court seeking anticipatory bail in the case, the official said.

A similar incident happened in the state of Maharashtra in December 2020. A 25-year-old ward boy at a private hospital was arrested after he allegedly molested a female patient who was admitted for surgery.

The man, identified as Mukesh Prajapati, allegedly groped the 29-year-old patient in a hospital in Malad East, Mumbai, on the night of Dec. 17 last year under the pretext of applying medicine on her body.

Authorities arrested the man after the woman revealed the incident to her family and a complaint was filed against the ward boy. He was booked under Section 354 of the IPC.

The woman's family questioned how the ward boy was allowed unrestricted access to the victim's room late at night.