Elderly Rape Victim Dies; Hospital Guard Arrested

A 58-year-old woman, allegedly raped at Panipat civil hospital two days prior, died during treatment at PGIMS, Rohtak, on Tuesday. The prime accused, Rakesh Kumar, a security guard at the hospital's CT and MRI section, has been apprehended by authorities. The victim's condition was critical upon referral to PGIMS on Sunday night, and she succumbed to her injuries early Tuesday morning.

According to police, the incident occurred Sunday evening when the woman was brought to the hospital for a CT scan. She reported being assaulted in the CT scan room after being told to wait outside by the accused. The Haryana health department has issued a notice to the CT center, operating under a public-private partnership, and a parallel police probe is ongoing. The private firm has dismissed the accused security guard and a technician from their jobs.

Medical reports, including the autopsy, are awaited to confirm the exact cause of death, though her pre-existing conditions as a diabetic and heart patient were noted. Social activists have raised concerns about male staff conducting scans on female patients without supervision. The firm has assured that female staff will be present for future scans of women patients.