Self-defence training in hospitals post RG Kar incident

Around 70 female staffers participated in a training session in self-defence at Fortis Hospital, Shalimar Bagh, on Monday where they were taught techniques they can deploy to fend off attackers. The hospital, along with Delhi Police, is organising a seven-day training session that offers its female employees essential self-defence skills, keeping in mind the brutal rape and murder of a female resident doctor in Kolkata’s RG Kar Hospital.
Use of elbows, knees, palms, and fingers can help fend off most attacks if a person is being manhandled, explained the trainer, constable Poonam Yadav, from Delhi Police’s ‘Parivartan’ cell.
“I have been teaching them basic techniques such as punches, elbow strikes, blocking, eye attacks, and methods to escape from hair and hand grips that can come in handy while dealing with potential attackers. Normally, it is a 15-day session, but in seven days one can be trained enough to respond effectively,” said Yadav, 30, who has been training school and college students in self-defence techniques for nearly 10 years under the Delhi Police initiative.
“Among the potential attacks, we chose to teach them to defend themselves if someone garbs their hand, and if grabbed from behind or how to block a slap. These are usually things that one may face when handling unruly patients or attendants,” said Yadav.
“These skills never go to waste; I have seriously taken this session and paid attention to every detail that was taught. The same goes for almost all my colleagues who are here. I was on leave last week so couldn’t attend previous sessions but all my colleagues who have been attending ensured that today I also joined in. These tips will come in handy not just within the hospital but also outside,” said Pooja Kumari, 24, medical ICU nurse at the hospital.
After the RG Kar incident, Fortis Shalimar Bagh’s management had discussions with the deputy commissioner of police, north-west district, Jitendra Kumar Meena, who arranged for a seven-day training programme.
The sessions in the hospital began on August 27; since then about 600 female employees have received training. The training takes place every day in two batches – between 1pm and 4.30pm – with a batch lasting for up to an hour and a half.
“About 70% of our staff comprises women working in various roles with different work hours. After the RG Kar incident came to light the management decided to empower them as it can happen to anyone anywhere. They should be able to protect themselves if, god forbid, they were to face any adverse situation. Although we have taken extra security measures, still we thought something like this would be of immense help,” said Deepak Narang, facility director at Fortis, Shalimar Bagh. “We are training super trainers who will further start training others; the idea is to make it a recurrent affair rather than conducting a one-off session. By now, we must have trained about 700 employees and later we might hold such sessions for 30 minutes every day,” he added.
The women attending these sessions said it has instilled in them a sense of confidence.
Mamta Kumari, 25, who is a general duty assistant, has taken six sessions so far, and said, “I feel more confident in my head; not that there has been any untoward incident with me but as part of my job profile I need to take patients for scans and other tests sometimes at night when the hospital is nearly deserted. It can be a bit scary at times but for the past few days, I have felt mentally strong.”
Prarthana, 27, a physiotherapist who goes by only one name, said, “I found these techniques very useful; just because nothing has happened with me so far doesn’t mean nothing will happen ever. It’s good to remain prepared.”
The police will be approaching other hospitals as well to conduct these training sessions.
“The strength is already within us, but training like this helps us to react better. We are in discussion with other hospitals in the district, too, such as Max, Deep Chand Bandhu etc, and will also have these sessions there in days to come,” said DCP Meena.