Kollam Doctor Murder: Kerala High Court Asks Police Chief To Redress Grievance Of Bereaved Parents Regarding Probe

The Kerala High Court today asked the State's Police Chief to meet the parents of Dr. Vandana Das, a 23-year-old house surgeon who was murdered while on duty, and redress their grievances with respect to the probe.

The direction was made by Justice Kunhikrishnan while hearing the parents' plea for transfer of probe to the CBI. The parents alleged that involvement of certain police officials in the matter was not being properly investigated, and the chargesheet was filed in favour of the accused. The bench orally expressed its qualm on transferring the probe at a stage when the Police investigation is over.

The young doctor was brutally killed during the wee hours of the morning on May 10, while she was on duty. She was stabbed multiple times by Sandeep, a school teacher, using dressing room scissors. The attacker had been brought to the Kottarakkara Taluk Hospital by the police for treatment of his injuries.

"This is a case which affected the conscience of the society...In such situation, according to me, the State Police Chief should summon the case diary in this case and hear the petitioners and redress the grievance of the petitioners and submit a report before this Court," the Court observed. 

The plea by the parents averred that despite the deceased being a doctor herself and being surrounded by medical practitioners, she did not receive immediate and adequate treatment. It was alleged that the medico had first been taken to Vijaya Hospital where she remained without proper medical intervention for nearly an hour.

It was claimed that Dr. Vandana was shifted to KIMS Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram, at the behest of directions 'issued from the top', and the authority on whose direction actions were initiated remained a mystery.

It was alleged despite there being various other 'top­-notch' hospitals equipped with modem healthcare facilities nearby, she was not taken there.

The petitioners claimed that in an 'attempt to white-wash' the acts of the police officials involved, the ADGP had given a statement that Sandeep was a complainant and that he was brought to the hospital to dress his wounds. However, according to the petitioners, as per the hospital records, Sandeep was an accused who had been arrested by the Pooyappally Police on a complaint that he was quarrelling with his mother.

The matter has been posted for further consideration on a later date. 

The plea has been moved through Senior Advocate P. Vijaya Bhanu, and Advocates Sruthy N. Bhat, Nikita J. Mendez, M. Revikrishnan, Ajeesh K. Sasi, Rahul Sunil, P.M. Rafiq, and Sruthy K.K.

Case Title: K.G. Mohandas & Anr. v. Central Bureau of Investigation & Ors.

Case Number: WP(Crl.) 641/ 2023