An alleged attempt to molest a woman house surgeon at the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital sparked a spontaneous protest by around 150 house surgeons practising under the Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship here.

The man involved in the act was taken into custody by the police following intervention by the hospital authorities, a senior medical officer said.

The house surgeons staged a sit-in protest in front of the Dean’s office from Thursday demanding safety of their female colleagues.

The incident took place between the administrative block and the centenary building housing her hostel, when the house surgeon walked to a two-wheeler parking lot to take her scooter, police said.

She managed to push him down and escaped, police said.

The incident comes close on the heels of the recent rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Calcutta’s R G Kar Medical Hospital.

According to Coimbatore Medical College Hospital (CMCH) Dean Dr Nirmala, an unknown trespasser attempted to misbehave with one of the female trainees at around 9.30 pm Wednesday when she was about to ride her vehicle.

"The incident was immediately brought to the administration’s attention and it was reported to the police who detained the man," Nirmala told reporters here.

The CMCH authorities took up the case of inadequate lighting on campus with the Public Works Department and the administration was taking all steps to ensure the safety of women on campus, she said.

"Recently, we closed the rear gate to prevent trespassers from entering the campus," she said.

Police said cases under Section 74 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 4 of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act were registered against the suspect.

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