Gurugram: In a deeply disturbing case, a 46-year-old air hostess has alleged that she was sexually assaulted by a hospital staff member while on a ventilator in the ICU of Medanta Hospital in Gurugram. The woman, in her police complaint, claimed that two nurses were present in the room during the assault but failed to intervene.

Medanta Hospital has responded to the allegations, stating that it is fully cooperating with the police investigation and that no claims have been substantiated yet. “We have been made aware of a complaint from a patient and have been fully cooperating with the investigations conducted by the relevant authorities. At this stage, no allegations have been substantiated, and all relevant documents, including CCTV footage from the hospital for the time period in question, have been handed over to the police.”

According to police sources, the woman, a resident of West Bengal, had arrived in Gurugram on March 31 for an airline training programme in Sector 75's Darbaripur area. She reportedly fell ill after a swim at the hotel and was admitted to Medanta Hospital on April 5. The alleged assault took place on April 6, while she was on a ventilator in the ICU.

In her FIR, the air hostess claimed that due to her critical condition, she was unable to move or resist during the assault. "She was not in a condition to speak or resist the man's advances because of her weakened condition. There were two nurses in the room, but they did not intervene," ToI reported, citing the FIR. She was discharged from the hospital on April 13, and later informed her husband, after which a police complaint was filed the next day at the Sadar police station.

Following the complaint, the Gurugram police registered a case for molestation and other relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

In view of the seriousness of the allegations, Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Gaurav confirmed the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT), headed by Sadar ACP Yashwant. “The team has collected CCTV footage from the ICU and is questioning staff members who may have interacted with the patient during her stay,” he said.

The DCP added that the case was being investigated from all possible angles and that further details cannot be disclosed at this stage due to the sensitivity of the matter.

The incident has sparked concern about patient safety and staff accountability in hospitals, especially in high-dependency units like the ICU.