Life term for ambulance driver who raped Covid patient on way to hospital

KOTTAYAM: An ambulance driver from Kayamkulam in Kerala, Noufal (29), who raped a 19-year-old patient while she was being transported to a Covid care centre in 2020, was sentenced to life imprisonment on Friday.

Court found Noufal guilty of rape and other offences under various sections of IPC. He was also convicted under SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, since the survivor belonged to a scheduled caste. The convict was also fined Rs 2 lakh. The incident occurred on Sept 5, 2020, during the first Covid wave. The survivor, who had been admitted to Adoor General Hospital, was being taken in an ambulance to Covid ward at Archana Hospital in Pandalam. Another patient was also being transported in the same ambulance.

The accused first drove to Kozhenchery, some 26 km away, even though Pandalam was closer, and dropped off the other patient. While returning to Pandalam with the survivor, the accused stopped the vehicle at a deserted location and raped her inside the vehicle. He then dropped her at the Pandalam hospital and fled, said public prosecutor T Harikrishnan. Upon arriving at the treatment facility, the survivor informed the hospital staff and her mother, who was already admitted there, about the sexual assault. The hospital authorities alerted police and Noufal was arrested the next day. He remained in custody throughout the five-year trial.

The incident sparked widespread outrage across state, with many criticising health department for sending a woman patient alone in the ambulance. After committing the sexual assault, the accused apologised to the survivor en route to the Pandalam hospital. She recorded his apology on her mobile phone and handed it over to the investigating officer. TNN