Two medical officers at the JN Medical College (JNMC) in Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) connected to the case involving the gang rape and murder of a 19-year-old Dalit woman in Hathras were removed from their posts on Tuesday.
One had contradicted the state police’s claim that the victim wasn’t raped, while the other had signed some reports of the woman.
Their removal comes a day after a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) team visited the hospital and questioned doctors and staff in the hospital in connection with the case.
The university authorities said the two men were recruited on a temporary basis because many doctors had fallen ill, and called their removal a routine step. One of the doctors, however, suggested that the version he had put forward may have led to his removal.
The woman, who was shifted to Safdarjung Hospital in New Delhi when her condition didn’t improve, died on September 29 of the injuries she suffered in the September 14 assault. Her forced pre-dawn cremation the following day triggered widespread public protests
The two doctors who were removed by JNMC were Dr Mohammad Azimuddin Malik and Dr Obaid Imtiazyul Haque.
Malik had contradicted the version of UP police that the woman hadn’t been raped, saying the medical tests on her had been conducted too late to come to that conclusion. He questioned the gap between the day of the crime. September 14, and the day the tests were conducted, September 22.
The UP police based their claim of no rape on a report by a forensic science lab, which received the samples on September 25.
In a phone conversation, Dr Malik said that this may have led to his removal, but added that AMU authorities may be better aware of the reasons for his removal.
“For concrete finding of rape, one needs to go for a test within four days of the incident and the test conducted after 11 days serves no purpose. This was all I had said and did not mention it in regard to the Hathras victim’s case,” said Dr Malik.
Dr Haque said he was shocked at the termination of his services.
“I joined when many of doctors at JNMC were ill and worked for two-and-a-half months amidst Covid-19, but came to known today (Tuesday) that my services are not required. I had not interacted with the media about the Hathras victim, which was sub judice, but had signed some medical papers related to the victim.”
AMU authorities termed the removal of the doctors a routine administrative exercise;both Dr Malik and Dr Haque were working on leave vacancies after many doctors at JNMC had fallen ill and the hospital was in need of doctors.
“Both these doctors were not permanent and were working on leave vacancy. Their term ended as regular doctors got well and joined their duties,” said Prof Shafey Kidwai, spokesperson for AMU.
“A doctor on duty, even if contractual, is an authorised person assigned duty by the institution. His version should be acknowledged,” said a senior member of the Indian Medical Association, Lucknow, who requested anonymity.
