Kiran Bedi shows sportswomanship, jumps over fence at Pudcherry hospital

KARAIKAL: Puducherry Lieutenant Governor (LG) Kiran Bedi on Thursday climed a fence of a governmental hospital here while she was on a field visit. The courageous IPS officer certainly showed glipmses of her past sportswomanship.

68-year-old Bedi jumped over the brick fence as the hospital officials had misplaced the keys.

She went to inspect a statue of the "Our Lady of Lourdes" that was kept in a shed surrounded by a 3.5-foot-high brick fence.

It was after the hospital authority made Bedi wait for the misplacement of keys, to everyone's surprise, she jumped over the fence to enter the shed.

Bedi, the first woman IPS officer, is on a five-day trip to Karaikal, an enclave of the union territory.

She visited Karaikal to know about the shortcomings of the agricultural sector, college and government hospital. He visit also include implementations of welfare schemes.

On the fourth day of her visit, the LG went to the hospital to review the facilities there and interact with the patients.

She asked the hospital authority to promptly clean the dirty surroundings which have become a breeding ground for mosquitoes.

The LG interacted with the patients and held a meeting with the officials to decide on the steps to be taken for improving the condition of the hospital.

She directed the officials to outsource the cleaning operations and carry out weekly inspections.

The LG also directed the collector to issue notices to the 16 medical staff, who were supposed to serve at the Karaikal hospital, but were, instead, attending to work at the Puducherry hospital.

"If they do not report to work at Karaikal, hold their salary for this month," she told the collector.

(With PTI inputs)