Mysuru: A government doctor has been sentenced to two years jail for sexually harassing a nurse which drove her to commit suicide.

Pronouncing the judgement yesterday, the Second Additional Sessions and District Judge Vijaykumar N. Ananda Shetty also imposed a fine of Rs. 3.2 lakh on the doctor.

The nurse identified as Mamatha, had committed suicide seven years ago and in her suicide note, she had accused Dr. Harish of sexually harassing her.   Mamatha, who worked as nurse on contract, ended her life by consuming some tablets at Hanagod Primary Health Centre (PHC) in Hunsur, on January 6, 2010. Mamatha, who was working as a contract nurse at Kupya village in T. Narsipur Taluk, was deputed to work at Bilikere PHC and was working under Dr. Harish where he sexually harassed her at work. Upset by his behaviour, the nurse had told the doctor to mend his ways.

The doctor continued to threaten her with dire consequences if she did not ‘cooperate’ with him. Dr. Harish even attempted to rape her when she was on the night shift but she ran out of the PHC and took shelter in another doctor’s house. She had complained to her bosses regarding the incident and Dr. Harish had tendered an apology.

But when the Dr. Harish’s harassment continued, she recorded his conversation when he was demanding a sexual favour and pulled her hand. Mamatha then lodged a complaint with District Health authorities against him with proof. But instead of ensuring safety to Mamatha, the health authorities, after a ‘name-sake’ inquiry, transferred her to Hanagod PHC, a faraway place as ‘punishment’ for complaining against the doctor.

Dr. Harish did not stop at this and continued to harass her. He used influence and vacated her from Bilikere hospital quarters, forcing her to take a house on rent at Hanagod. He even used to go to her rented accommodation and used to harass her.

Mamatha, unable to bear unrelenting harassment, ended her life at Hanagod in January 2010. Before consuming tablets, Mamatha called her sister and told her that she would take the extreme step unable to bear Dr. Harish’s harassment.

She had also informed her colleagues about the suicide who rushed to Hanagod.Mamatha was shifted to K.R. Hospital in Mysuru where she died.  

Initially Harish was booked for abetting suicide but later the Court tried him under IPC Sections 354 and 323 for outraging the modesty of woman and voluntarily causing hurt. Dr. Harish is presently working at Thippur PHC in K.R. Nagar taluk, said Mysuru District Health Officer Dr. Basavaraju.