Con woman who drugged patients to rob them caught

KARACHI:

In a shocking development, police have arrested a woman impersonating a doctor at the Civil Hospital, who administered anesthesia to patients and robbed them, The Express Tribune has learnt.

This fake doctor, who played with the lives of patients, has raised questions on the overall security and administration of the city's major health facility. The impersonator was caught after she gave general anesthesia to a woman and stole her mobile phone and gold ornaments.

A case was registered at Eidgah police station on the complaint of the patient's husband, Ajmal. SSP City Arif Aziz identified the impersonator as Ruqiya Kanwal, who used to enter the Civil Hospital disguised as doctor. She has been taken into custody.

She would target female patients in different wards of the hospital where she would give general anesthesia to them before robbing them of their cell phones and jewelry. "A case has been registered against the impersonator who has been handed over to investigation branch," SSP Aziz said.

Nadeem Haider, the SHO at the Eidgah police station, said that the woman was a qualified nurse. She hails from Sukkur but currently resides in Korangi. "The accused has confessed to police investigators that she had robbed several patients by giving them anesthesia," Haider said. Further investigation is in progress.

The accused Ruqiya Kanwal was taken into custody after footage from CCTV cameras installed in the ward confirmed she had stolen the valuables of Ajmal's wife.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 1^st, 2023.