Two men allegedly raped a woman in Assam’s Charaideo district when she was on her way home from a hospital, where her family was being treated for Covid-19, reported NDTV on Monday.
The woman, who belongs to the tea tribe community, was returning along with her daughter as both of them were discharged after testing negative for Covid-19. There are discrepancies about the exact date of the incident as India Today reported it occurred on May 29 evening, and according to NDTV, the crime happened on May 27.
“Few days ago, our family tested positive for Covid-19 and we are under home isolation for one week,” the daughter said. “After my father and mother’s health worsened, we were admitted to a hospital. When we tested negative, the hospital authority asked us to go home. We asked for an ambulance to return home, but they denied it. We were discharged from the hospital at 2.30 pm.”
The minor said the hospital authorities also refused their request to stay for that night as a lockdown was in place. The distance to their village is close to 25 km.
“We started walking,” the daughter said, according to NDTV. “Later, two men chased us. We ran but they caught my mother and took her away. I managed to run and informed [the] villagers. After two hours my mother was found.”
The woman, who is in a critical condition, was admitted to the hospital, reported India Today.
Charaideo senior police officer Sudhakar Singh said that they were looking for the accused and a case had been filed. The woman’s medical report was awaited, Singh added.
The Assam Tea Tribe Students’ Association called for the immediate arrest of the accused. “Due to negligence by the hospital, the incident happened,” a member said. “If the hospital gave ambulance, it would not have happened.”
Meanwhile, Assam Health Minister Keshab Mahanta said ambulances should be available for residents to return home after testing negative for Covid-19.
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