A 24-year-old contract data entry operator suffered 48% burns after a man allegedly poured petrol on her and set her ablaze outside the emergency ward of Ponneri government hospital in Tiruvallur district on Monday evening, police said. The suspect was later traced and arrested after being shot in the leg while allegedly attacking personnel who tried to apprehend him.
The attack took place around 7.15pm as Rajeshwari was leaving the hospital after completing her duty. Police said she was carrying her belongings and walking towards the exit when the suspect approached her near the ramp outside the casualty ward. He allegedly removed a plastic bottle containing petrol, poured it over her and set her on fire.
Hospital staff and people near the entrance rushed to help after Rajeshwari screamed. She was taken into the emergency ward, where doctors found burns on her face, chest and lower abdomen. She was subsequently shifted to Kilpauk Medical College Hospital in Chennai for further treatment.
The incident also triggered an immediate police investigation inside the hospital premises. Ponneri police began examining CCTV footage from cameras near the casualty ward and the entrance ramp to identify the attacker and reconstruct how he entered and escaped. Investigators questioned hospital staff and others who were present at the time.
Police later identified the suspect as Prakash and traced him to Tiruvallur. According to the police, he attacked personnel who attempted to catch him. Officers then shot him in the leg and arrested him. Police said he was the man who poured petrol on Rajeshwari and set her on fire while she was leaving the hospital.
Investigators were examining whether Rajeshwari knew the attacker and were probing the circumstances behind the assault. Police suspected that personal enmity could have triggered the attack, but the report did not establish a confirmed motive.
The incident raises immediate questions about security at public hospitals, particularly around emergency wards, entrance ramps and exit routes used by staff and patients. The available report did not specify whether additional security measures were ordered at Ponneri government hospital after the attack. Further investigation was under way.
