Kerala HC issues notice to state on lawyer’s plea seeking Rs1 Crore compensation for bereaved family of deceased Vandana Das

Kerala High Court on Monday issued notice to the Chief Minister on a petition seeking a directive to the State Government to provide compensation of Rs 1 crore to the bereaved family of the house surgeon Vandana Das, who died after being stabbed at a government hospital in the state.
The court ordered tagging the petition along with the suo moto case initiated by it following the brutal murder. Taking suo moto cognizance of the incident, Kerala High Court slammed the state government and asked to shut down the hospitals if the government cannot protect the doctors.
Following the brutal murder, the Kerala government on May 17 approved an ordinance that seeks to ensure workplace safety in healthcare facilities.
According to the ordinance any person who commits, attempts to commit, incites or inspires an act of violence at hospitals shall be punished with imprisonment for a term not less than six months and five years and with a fine not less than Rs 50,000 and upto Rs 2 lakh.
According to police, S Sandeep (42) out of the blue stabbed house surgeon, Vandana Das (23) when she was dressing his wounds. Having grabbed scissors from the dressing room, Sandeep, who was reportedly under treatment in a de-addiction centre, stabbed Vandana six times causing injuries to her abdomen and back.
He also attacked others and vandalised the hospital. A home guard and a sub-inspector also sustained stab injuries. Dr Vandana was shifted to KIMS hospital in Thiruvananthapuram where she succumbed to her injuries, police said.
Vandana was a house surgeon at Azeezia medical college, Kollam and she was on duty at Taluk Hospital, Kottarakkara. She was the only daughter of Mohandas and Vasantha Kumari, residents of Kaduthuruthy in the Kottayam district.