A 25-year-old man was arrested for allegedly trying to harass and assault a female doctor at a dental clinic in Patanapuram, south of Kollam, the police reported on Sunday. The suspect entered the clinic under the guise of “receiving treatment” and then launched the attack.
According to Patanpuram police, the arrested man is named Saldan and is from Kalamud village. He was formally arrested by the police on Saturday night and admitted some of his misconduct during preliminary interrogation.
At the time of the incident, the female doctor was receiving patients alone in the clinic. After entering the clinic, Saldan pretended to have toothache and asked the doctor to check him. However, without obvious signs, he suddenly tried to gag the female doctor’s mouth with clothes and attacked her.
Fortunately, the female doctor reacted quickly, broke free and shouted for help, attracting people from nearby shops to come and check, and the suspect immediately fled the scene.
The female doctor immediately called the police, and the Patanpuram police quickly launched an investigation and arrested the suspect that night. The police said that the case is serious in nature and may involve multiple charges such as intentional assault, harassment and illegal trespass. The case is currently under further investigation.
The police also called on clinics and other independent practitioners to strengthen safety precautions, especially to be vigilant when receiving strangers. At the same time, they stressed that such violent acts will be severely punished to ensure a safe working environment for all medical staff.