Prison doctor strip-searched at Puzhal

A medical officer at Puzhal Central prison was stripped and searched in the name of security at the prison gates on Saturday. 

The victim, Dr M Naveen Kumar sent a tearful message on Whatsapp to his group comprising other doctors, seeking help for the humiliation he was made to go through. He narrating the incident which he alleged was under the instructions of DIG of Prisons Karupannan. 

The Tamil Nadu Government Doctors Association has now taken up the matter and have shot letters of objection to the Home Secretary, Health Secretary and DGP, seeking action against the officials who insulted the medical officer. 

Dr M Naveen Kumar, one of the two medical officers on duty at Puzhal prison 2, was asked to remove his shirt for frisking and an assistant jailor was instructed by the DIG to examine the doctor. The incident took place on Saturday, Naveen Kumar said that in his 8-month-long service at the prison, he had never been subject to such harassment. “What happened on Saturday was a big shock to me,” Naveen Kumar told some colleagues. 

“The incident happened at my work place and made me lose my dignity as a doctor and I want to share it with you all to help me fight against such incidents that could happen to me as well as my colleague in the future as well,” the doctor wrote in his message. Talking about the incident, he said that when he entered the gates of Puzhal prison on Saturday as usual for work, DIG Karupannan, the prison superintendent, additional superintendent and jailor were all present. The DIG then asked the assistant jailor to check him thoroughly after removing the shirt. 

“I objected to it and asked them why I was being frisked as it had never been done before. He told me from that day onwards, everyone would be checked. I was forced to comply even though I felt I was being treated like an accused,” Naveen Kumar said. 

Inside sources told DTNext that DIG Karuppannan, who had a grudge against Dr. Naveen for refusing his ‘orders’ was responsible for strip-searching the doctor. “DIG Karuppannan wanted the medical officers to do some favours for the ‘VIP’ prisoners in Puzhal, which the doctors had refused. He also used to harass them by sending them to the court, which is not part of the duty of a medical officer. 

The doctors had already complained about this harassment to Director of Medical Services earlier,” a source inside Puzhal prison said. The source added that another doctor, Dr. Gaurishankar, who earlier worked as medical officer in Puzhal, had asked for voluntary transfer after he was subjected to similar harassment by Karupannan, who was then the superintendent of the prison. 

“We have already taken up the matter with the authorities. We have sent letters to the Home Secretary, Health Secretary and DGP seeking action against the officials. What happened was in gross violation of existing laws,” Dr. K Senthil, State President of Tamil Nadu Government Doctor’s Association.