Candlelight vigil in Hyderabad demands justice for murdered nurse
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 a 21-year-old nurse who was raped and murdered in Thukkuguda. The victim, identified as Sirisha, worked at a private hospital in the area.
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 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.
According to police, the victim was assaulted by a 34-year-old bike mechanic named MD Sanaullah, who allegedly entered her quarters through a window or ventilator on August 28. He hails from Bihar's Begusarai district. Police said 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.
Protesters demand hospital licence suspension and government aid
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. They 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 Seethakka, who also comes from a tribal background, to intervene and ensure that financial assistance reaches the victim's family.
"The victim belonged to a tribal community. Her parents must have struggled to provide for her and make sure that she becomes a nurse. Many private hospitals take bonds from employees, despite the fact that they fail to provide safe accommodation," Nirmala said.
Two participants, Anusha and Seema (name changed), said they had visited the hospital after the incident to speak to the management. They alleged that the hospital did not have a nursing superintendent and that they were threatened when they questioned the management. They also stressed that security arrangements at hospitals should cover nurses and other healthcare workers and not be limited to patients and doctors. "Security should not just be for patients and doctors, but for nurses and other healthcare staff also," they said.
Union calls for adherence to safety guidelines and worker tracking
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.
Solidarity protests in Bhadrachalam
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 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.