Kerala Dr Vandana Das to be cremated at 2 pm today; Hundreds pay homage

Kottayam: The body of Dr Vandana Das, who was brutally killed by a drug addict at Kottarakkara Taluk Hospital was brought to her residence in Muttuchira, Kottayam at 8 pm on Wednesday. The last rites will be conducted at 2 pm on Thursday.

Ministers including VN Vasavan and Roshy Augustine and Deputy Speaker Chittayam Gopakumar were also present to pay homage among hundreds of people.

After the post-mortem on Wednesday, the 23-year-old doctor's mortal remains were kept for public homage at the Medical College Hospital. Then, it was taken to her college Azeezia Medical College at Kollam. 

Traffic in the area has been controlled in order to promote public tribute due to the outpouring of grief for Vandana. The Central Junction in Kaduthuruthy will be used as a diversion for any vehicles using the Ettummannur-Kottayam route from Ernakulam that are not container lorries. Onto the stretch of road known as Palakkara-Thottuva-Kanjiramattom-Kuruppanthara, the vehicles must turn left. Thalayolaparambu will be the parking location for container lorries.

Kottayam-bound vehicles should turn left at Kuruppanthara and proceed along Mannarappara, Malliyoor Junction, Royal Marble Junction, and Muttuchira. Container trucks should park at Ettumannur if they are going that way.

In a shocking incident, Dr Vandana Das was stabbed to death by a school teacher Sandeep early on Wednesday while she was dressing his wound. The accused stabbed the 23-year-old doctor six times.

Sandeep, according to hospital officials, stabbed the doctor six times in the back. She had stab wounds to her back and abdomen, according to the doctors who treated her at a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram. Due to the extensive internal injuries they produced, this turned out to be fatal. Sandeep was involved in a fight with his neighbors, which led to the police taking him into detention. Police took him to the hospital as he was hurt during the fight. He reportedly became aggressive as the doctor was treating him for a wound. He stabbed the policemen and the doctor.

The Kerala High Court on Wednesday came down heavily upon the state government and the police for their "failure" to protect doctors in the state. A special bench of Justices Devan Ramachandran and Kauser Edappagath said the police were trained and expected to protect women and children, but they failed to protect the young doctor.
 

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