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New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday strongly criticised two private hospitals for allegedly refusing to treat a four-year-old rape victim who later died in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh. The court directed the hospitals to pay compensation to the child’s family.

A three-judge bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant expressed particular anger at an ayurvedic doctor who allegedly failed to give the child initial medical care.

“You have no business writing doctor with your name if you don’t perform your duty,” the bench said.

According to a Bar and Bench report, the court questioned why the doctor did not accompany the child to another hospital if the required facilities were unavailable.

“If you had sensitivity, you would have gone with the child to another hospital if you didn’t have the facility. You ignored because she was poor?” the court said.

The incident took place in Ghaziabad in March. According to the family, a neighbour took the girl away on the pretext of buying her chocolates. Her relatives began searching for her when she failed to return. They later found her unconscious and covered in blood.

The family alleged that it took the child to two private hospitals, but both refused to admit her. The relatives then rushed her to the Ghaziabad district hospital, where doctors declared her dead.

The family approached the Supreme Court and alleged serious failures in both the police investigation and the medical response. In April, the court ordered a Special Investigation Team probe. The SIT reportedly found that the hospitals had failed to provide timely treatment.

“A child victim of such a heinous crime is brought before you, and you are so merciless that you did not provide medical care,” the CJI said.

“When we impose a penalty, it will have a chilling effect. Think of victim compensation and grant reasonable compensation to the family,” the court further said.

At an earlier hearing, the Supreme Court also criticised the Ghaziabad Police and called its investigation “insensitive”.

The CJI said police registered the FIR one day after the incident and failed to add provisions of the POCSO Act. The court also said officers initially left out rape charges despite the autopsy finding injuries to the child’s private parts.

The bench said the case appeared to involve a “hush-hush approach” and ordered the SIT investigation.