You must treat all rape, road accident victims: HC to Delhi hospitals

The Delhi High Court on Thursday asked the city government to issue a direction to all hospitals in the Capital not to deny treatment to victims of criminal offences, especially those of rape and road accidents.

"We direct the Principal Secretary, Health Department of Delhi government, to issue directions to all hospitals, including private hospitals, to attend to victims of gangrape, victims of other crimes, particularly road accident.

"They be given first aid treatment or treatment depending on their conditions," a Bench headed by Chief Justice D Murugesan said and fixed the matter for further hearing on February 28.

The court, which had earlier taken suo motu cognisance of the December 16 gangrape of a 23-year-old paramedical student in a moving bus here, also asked the city hospitals not to refuse treatment to such victims "for the simple reason that it is a case related to some offence".

After being assured by the Delhi government that an order on the issue may be passed within the month, the Bench, also comprising Justice V K Jain said, "The Commissioner of Police will issue a direction (to police officials) immediately after an order is passed by the Delhi government to take such persons or victims to a nearby hospital for treatment."

Meanwhile, Delhi Police filed a fresh status report in a sealed cover giving details about the "role, duties and responsibilities" of policemen deployed in PCR vans.

The court, which had earlier passed a slew of guidelines to the police and other authorities, also heard the alleged delay in rushing the December 16 gangrape victim to a hospital, which was far away from where she had been dumped by her assailants.

The student was raped and brutally assaulted before being thrown out of the moving vehicle along with her male friend. She later succumbed to her injuries in a Singapore hospital on December 29.

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