In a shocking incident, a well-known pulmonologist Dr. B. Vijay Bhaskar was arrested on Sunday. The Gopalpuram police arrested the doctor for allegedly raping and molesting two patients.
According to the police, Dr. Bhaskar (54) committed the offence on a 24-year-old techie and a 59-year-old woman on different occasions.
Police said that “after patients entered the consultation room, he would make them feel comfortable and then proceed to molest them. Last Friday, a 23-year-old techie from West Marredpally came to the clinic complaining of a cough. In the guise of treatment, he allegedly touched her private parts saying that was part of the treatment. She resisted and escaped from the clinic and lodged a complaint with the police.”
“After the news of the case spread, another woman who faced the same situation in the clinic 15 days ago also lodged a complaint,” said Gopalpuram inspector S. Ramchandra Reddy, adding that the second victim had heard of the case from her friends.
A case has been booked under IPC Section 375(2)(e) (management or the staff of a hospital taking advantage of his official position and committing rape in the hospital) was booked against the doctor on the complaint of the techie.
On the complaint by the 59-year-old woman, police booked a case under IPC Section 354 (outraging the modesty of a woman). Dr. Bhaskar was sent to judicial remand. Police said, “more victims may come forward after knowing of his arrest.”
Dr. Bhaskar had started Bhaskar’s Chest Clinic opposite the Regional Passport Office, Secunderabad in 2005. He had earlier been chief of pulmonary medicine in corporate hospitals.
City doctors said that “he was the first to get the highest degree of Doctorate of Medicine in Pulmonary Medicine, in India.”
In this regard, the Telangana Medical Council has stated that “the criminal investigations against pulmonologist Dr. Vijay Bhaskar will determine the course of action against him.”
Chairman of the council Dr. Ravinder Reddy said, “The council will take a stand only after the complete investigation in the case is ready, and if the charges are found to be true then a case of suspension will be taken up.”
Other pulmonologists in the city supported the accused doctor. They said that “examination of the chest region and also lower abdomen is required when a patient constantly complains of a cough.”
Senior pulmonologist Dr. C. Vijay Kumar said, “When a patient comes to us with incessant coughs we have to check the front part of the chest and also the back. Similarly, the lower abdomen region is checked when a cough or respiratory problems are continuous.”
A senior pulmonologist added, “In India, doctors take it for granted that they can check a woman’s chest and abdomen region. But during such an examination it is important for a lady nurse or at least an attendant of the patient to be present. Some of the patients are very sensitive to such things and do not like to be touched even for an examination. A lady nurse or a companion of the patient is helpful.”
Another senior doctor said on condition of anonymity, “Inappropriate touching or squeezing is an offence. The examining doctors have to make sure that they can opt for diagnostic tests if the disease is not being identified. Also, if there is a need for re-examination than the patient must be told about the same so that he or she come prepared with what could come. Often doctors fail to communicate such information and that leads to a misunderstanding.”
BY M. DIVYA SRI
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