Members of the Telangana Nurses Association (TNA) held a candlelight vigil at the Ambedkar Statue on Tank Bund in Hyderabad on Monday, August 31, demanding justice for 21-year-old nurse who was raped and murdered in Thukkuguda.
The nurses called for strict action against the man responsible for the killing and questioned the safety arrangements provided by private hospitals to their employees. They also urged the government to intervene to ensure that nurses and other healthcare workers, particularly those employed by private and corporate hospitals, are provided secure accommodation and adequate protection.
The victim was assaulted by a 34-year-old bike mechanic named MD Sanaullah who allegedly entered the nurse’s quarters through a window/ventilator on August 28. He hails from Bihar’s Begusarai district. According to the police,
the accused had allegedly noticed the woman through a rear-side window of the mechanic shop and had been observing her movements for days.
Her body was discovered the next day prompting widespread outrage and public anger.
The protesters demanded that the licence of the private hospital where the victim worked be suspended, alleging that it had failed to provide safe accommodation for its staff.
They also sought ex-gratia assistance for her family and called for stringent action against the hospital management and appealed to state panchayat raj and rural development minister seethakka to help with financial assistance for the family.
Nirmala, one of the participants, said the victim’s tribal background and the circumstances of her family made government assistance particularly important. She appealed to Minister for Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Seethakka to intervene and ensure that financial assistance reaches the victim’s family.
Telangana Nurses Association Joint Secretary Laxman Rudavath urged the government to ensure that hospitals provide nursing staff with safety and other facilities as mandated under Central government guidelines.
He also called for a system to document the movement of workers coming to Telangana from other states for employment. Such a mechanism, he said, should record details including who brought the workers to the State, their employer and place of residence, and the police station having jurisdiction over their residence.
The killing also triggered a protest in Bhadrachalam, where activists from student and tribal organisations demanded severe punishment for the accused and a speedy trial.
The demonstration was organised by the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) and the Telangana Adivasi Girijana Sangham town committee. The protesters condemned the killing and called for a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crime, urging the authorities to identify and prosecute everyone found responsible.
The activists also expressed solidarity with the victim’s family and said they would continue to support them until justice is delivered.