Role of state and medical officials in case of sexual assault by an insane person: A case report

Abstract

Violence against women has been in talks and news every now and then. Various laws are enacted world-over and in India for protection of their rights and dignity with stringent punishments of the offender. But issues arise if the offender is a mentally unsound person or a juvenile. The case is of a four-month pregnant lady who was attacked by a mentally unsound person and was brought to casualty in a low condition with unstable vitals. She had sustained multiple injuries over the body and a wooden roller stuck inside the vagina. The treating physician’s medico-legal duties and the role of state in such cases become very important. The treatment examination of victim and accused along with the legal implications make such cases worth discussing.