TNA Holds Candlelight Vigil at Tank Bund Demanding Justice for Slain Nurse

Members of the Telangana Nurses Association (TNA) held a candlelight vigil at the Ambedkar Statue on Tank Bund in Hyderabad on Monday in solidarity with 21-year-old Sirisha, a private hospital nurse who was raped and murdered in Thukkuguda.

The participating healthcare workers demanded accountability from the private hospital where Sirisha was employed. They called for the suspension of the hospital's licence, alleging that the management had failed to provide safe accommodation for its staff. The protestors also sought government intervention to ensure adequate security arrangements for nurses and healthcare personnel in private and corporate hospitals, alongside ex-gratia financial assistance for Sirisha's family.

Speaking at the demonstration, participant Nirmala stated that the victim belonged to a tribal community and that her parents had struggled to support her education so she could become a nurse. She noted that many private hospitals collect bonds from employees while failing to ensure secure living conditions. Nirmala appealed to Minister for Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Seethakka, who also shares a tribal background, to intervene and secure ex-gratia aid for the family.

Two participants, Anusha and Seema, said they had visited the hospital after the incident to question the management. They alleged that the hospital operated without a nursing superintendent and claimed they faced threats when raising concerns. They stressed that hospital security arrangements must be extended to nurses and other healthcare staff rather than being restricted solely to doctors and patients.

Laxman Rudavath, Joint Secretary of the Telangana Nurses Association, urged the government to mandate safety facilities for nursing staff in accordance with Central government guidelines.

Rudavath also called for a systematic mechanism to record details of individuals moving to Telangana from other states for employment. He suggested that authorities should maintain comprehensive records, including information on who brought the workers to the state, their places of employment and residence, and the respective police stations exercising jurisdiction over their areas.