A deeply disturbing incident involving the alleged rape of a nurse has surfaced at a private hospital in Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh. The accused, Dr. Shahnawaz, reportedly held the 20-year-old victim captive and sexually assaulted her.
The horrific crime was reportedly facilitated by another nurse, Mehnaaz, and a ward boy named Junaid, both of whom are also employed at the hospital. Authorities have arrested all three suspects.
The incident took place at ABM Hospital, located on Thakurdwara-Kashipur Road, within the Thakurdwara police station jurisdiction in Moradabad.
Dr. Shahnawaz, who holds a Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) degree, runs the hospital alongside his wife. The couple resides in an apartment above the hospital premises.
The victim hails from a village near the Dilari police station in Moradabad. According to a police complaint filed by her father, she had been employed as a nurse at ABM Hospital for the past ten months. On the evening of August 17, when she reported for her shift at 7 pm, Dr. Shahnawaz allegedly assaulted her and threatened to kill her if she spoke out about the incident. The complaint further alleges that Mehnaaz informed the victim that the doctor had called her to his upstairs quarters. When she resisted, Junaid and Mehnaaz forcibly took her to Dr. Shahnawaz’s residence, locking the door from the outside.
The accused reportedly kept her captive and assaulted her at around 12:30 am. Despite her desperate pleas for help, no assistance came. During the assault, Dr. Shahnawaz allegedly hurled casteist slurs at her, calling her derogatory names and offering her money to keep silent. Junaid also allegedly took her mobile phone to prevent her from contacting the authorities. The next morning, the victim confided in a senior nurse at the hospital before returning home around 10 am in a distressed state, where she disclosed the incident to her family. The family then notified the police and lodged a complaint. The victim remains traumatized by the experience.
The police have registered a case against Dr. Shahnawaz under sections 61(2), 64, 351(2), and 127(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), as well as relevant sections of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST) Act. Mehnaaz and Junaid have also been charged with conspiracy-related offenses. A copy of the First Information Report (FIR) is available with authorities.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Rural, Sandeep Kumar Meena, confirmed that swift action has been taken in the case, and all three accused have been arrested. They are expected to be presented in court soon. The victim has undergone a medical examination at a government hospital, and her statement is being recorded. Circle Officer Rajesh Kumar stated that the case has been filed at the Dilari police station based on the complaint from the victim’s father. Mehnaaz and Junaid are currently under police interrogation.
On the night of August 18, the police and a health department team inspected the hospital on the orders of the Chief Medical Officer (CMO). The superintendent of the Community Health Center (CHC) dispatched a team to assess the condition of the patients admitted to ABM Hospital in case the facility needed to be sealed. Nine patients were found to be under treatment at the time.