A Kerala health inspector has been arrested on charges of raping a 44-year-old nurse who had approached him for a coronavirus-negative certificate, police said.

The woman had been ordered to go into quarantine last month after she returned home to the state capital from north Kerala where she was working as a home nurse. She had tested negative after the two-week quarantine but she needed the negative certificate to return to work as a nurse.

This is the second incident of rape involving a state employee working in the health sector. On Saturday last, a 22-year-old woman complained that the driver of a state-run ambulance service tasked to take her to hospital raped her on the way.

The nurse told the police that when she approached the junior health inspector after her quarantine period was over, he insisted that she meet him at his house in Thiruvananthapuram district’s Pangode. According to her complaint, when she went, he forced her to spend the day with him and raped her. She alleged that he threatened to tell the police that she had jumped quarantine if she didn’t comply. He also assaulted her.

Inspector P Suneesh who is investigating the case said the health official also physically assaulted her.

“A medical examination confirmed sexual assault. He was booked under different sections of the Indian Penal Code including rape, illegal detention and assault,” the police officer said.

Kerala health minister KK Shailaja said the state government would take stringent action against the offender.

“Health workers are toiling day in and out these days. But such unfortunate incidents will give a negative impression and portray their work in a bad light. We will take stringent action against the offenders and ensure such sad incidents do not recur,” said Shailaja.

On Saturday night a young patient was allegedly sexually assaulted by an ambulance driver in central Kerala’s Pathanamthitta district on the way to a hospital. The suspect was arrested within hours of the crime that set off a war of words between the ruling party and the opposition. The opposition Congress and BJP have sought the resignation of the health minister.