The LDF Government in Kerala on Wednesday approved an ordinance that provides for stringent punishment, including imprisonment of up to seven years and a maximum fine of Rs 5 lakh for those found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm to doctors, medical students, and others working in the health services sector in the state.
The decision, taken in a cabinet meeting chaired by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, came in the wake of the brutal killing of Dr Vandana Das by a patient at a taluk hospital in Kollam district of the state last week.
Under the Kerala Healthcare Service Workers and Healthcare Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage to Property) Amendment Ordinance, anyone found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm to any healthcare worker or professional would be punished with imprisonment ranging from one year to seven years and a fine of Rs one lakh to Rs 5 lakh, a government statement said.
The ordinance also provides that anyone who commits or attempts to commit or incites or inspires an act of violence against healthcare workers or those working in healthcare institutions shall be punished with imprisonment for a term of not less than 6 months and up to 5 years and with a fine between Rs 50,000 to Rs 2 lakh, it said.
Before the amendment, under the Kerala Healthcare Service Workers and Healthcare Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage to Property) Act of 2012, any act of violence against a healthcare service person or damage to property of a medical institution carried a punishment of a maximum three years imprisonment and a fine upto Rs 50,000.
Besides the enhancement of punishment, the ordinance states that the trials in cases lodged under the Act have to be completed in a timely manner, and that special courts will be designated in each district to ensure speedy adjudication, the statement said.
The ordinance also states that cases registered under the Act have to be investigated by a police officer not below the rank of Inspector and the probe has to be completed within 60 days of registration of the FIR, it said.