Hyderabad nurses hold vigil for murdered colleague, demand hospital action

Members of the Telangana Nurses Association (TNA) gathered at the Ambedkar Statue on Tank Bund in Hyderabad on Monday evening to hold a candlelight vigil for Sirisha, a 21-year-old nurse who was raped and murdered in Thukkuguda. The demonstration was held to express solidarity with the victim and to press for concrete action from authorities and the private hospital where she worked.

The protesters demanded accountability from the hospital management, alleging that it failed to provide safe accommodation for its staff. They called for the suspension of the hospital's licence and urged the government to intervene. The nurses also sought ex gratia assistance for Sirisha's family and demanded strict action against the hospital.

Speaking at the vigil, TNA member Nirmala highlighted the victim's tribal background, noting the struggles her parents must have faced to support her education. She appealed to Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Minister Seethakka, who also hails from a tribal community, to ensure that the family receives financial compensation.

Two participants, Anusha and Seema, said they had visited the hospital after the incident to question the management. They alleged that the hospital lacked a nursing superintendent and that they were threatened during their inquiry. They stressed that security arrangements in hospitals must extend beyond patients and doctors to include nurses and other healthcare workers.

Laxman Rudavath, Joint Secretary of the TNA, urged the government to implement Central guidelines on safety facilities for nursing staff. He also called for a systematic mechanism to track individuals arriving in Telangana from other states for employment, including details of who brought them, their workplace, residence, and the jurisdictional police station.