Two days after the death of a rape victim from Muzaffarpur district at a state-run hospital in Patna, the Bihar government on Tuesday suspended the medical superintendent of the Sri Krishna Medical College & Hospital (SKMCH) in Muzaffarpur for dereliction of duty.
Similarly, Abhijeet Singh, acting deputy superintendent of the Patna Medical College Hospital (PMCH), where the minor girl succumbed to her injuries on Sunday, was divested of his charges by the state health department, an order dated 3 June 2025 issued by the department said.
The girl, who was raped and brutally assaulted on 26 May, succumbed to her injuries at the PMCH on Sunday morning, amid allegations that she was left waiting in an ambulance for several hours before being granted admission to the hospital on Saturday. She was brought to PMCH in critical condition on Saturday after being referred from the Muzaffarpur-based SKMCH.
The incident triggered an outcry.
"Prime facie, it appears that Dr Kumari Bibha, Medical Superintendent (MS) of the SKMCH, did not properly follow the referral policy while handling the case of the rape victim who died on Sunday. It has found that the hospital administration did not handle the case with sensitivity," the order said.
"Therefore, till the completion of the enquiry, the department suspends the concerned MS, with immediate effect, for dereliction of duty. During her suspension period, she will remain posted at the health department headquarters in Patna," the order said.
The order also said that the acting deputy superintendent Abhijeet Singh did not handle the case properly when the victim was brought to the PMCH on Saturday, and it shows his "administrative failure". Therefore, he is divested of the additional charges, it said.
The girl, who was raped in her village in Muzaffarpur district, had her throat and chest brutally slashed by the accused after the assault. The accused, who was later arrested by the police, had attempted to kill her by slitting her throat.
