Hospital superintendent faces sex abuses charges

MANGALORE: Employees State Insurance (ESI) Hospital superintendent Gopalakrishna is facing sexual and mental harassment charges, prompting the directorate to conduct a preliminary inquiry.He is said to be using an AC septic labour ward in the hospital as his residential quarters for his nefarious activities.Directorate of ESI Scheme (Medical Services) Dr Rahimunisa confirmed receiving written complaints from nurses.The report was submitted to the Labour Secretary.“We are awaiting action on the report,” she said.However, Gopalakrishna, justifying the use of the labour room, says, “If I stay in the quarters, there would be chaos in the hospital.” When it was pointed out that the quarters were close to the hospital, he haughtily declared that as superintendent, he had a right to stay in the hospital.Dr Rahimunisa also termed the use of septic ward gross misconduct.However, complaints by staff nurses seem to suggest why the superintendent insists on staying in the hospital.“He summons a lone nurse to check his blood pressure and insists on a massage to relieve him of back pain,” a nurse alleged.Some of the nurses who had deposed before the inquiry committee alleged that the superintendent had a fetish for filthy language, groping and strolling in the wards after dusk in a lungi