Why Telangana nurses are demanding safer workplaces
HYDERABAD: The Telangana chapters of the All India Feminist Alliance (ALIFA) and National Health Rights Forum of the National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM) have demanded speedy prosecution and justice in the alleged rape and murder of a 21-year-old nurse from an Adivasi community.
In a statement issued on September 4, 2026, the groups expressed condolences to the woman’s family and the nursing community. They demanded that the guilty be brought to book under relevant laws, including the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, and sought exemplary compensation for her family.
Police have arrested a 34-year-old man in connection with the case. The case was initially registered as murder, while police later added provisions relating to rape and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act following the medical examination.
Groups flag unsafe accommodation and poor working conditions
The organisations said the incident at private hospital accommodation had highlighted safety concerns faced by female nurses and other healthcare workers in Hyderabad.
They said the victim came from a poor Adivasi family and had completed her nursing course through public educational institutions in Hyderabad. She was killed before completing her first year of employment, they said.
The groups said safety must be treated as an integral part of women’s workplace rights and not as an additional concern.
They also pointed to the shortage of nursing staff in Telangana. The statement said the state had 60,919 registered nurses and registered midwives against a projected 2026 population of 3.86 crore, translating to 1.58 nurses per 1,000 people.
The figure is about 47% below the World Health Organisation benchmark of three nurses per 1,000 people, the statement said. Recent recruitment of 10,000 nurses had not resolved the shortage, it added. Publicly reported figures also put Telangana’s registered nurse and midwife strength below the WHO benchmark.
The groups said the shortage increased the workload on existing nursing staff.
Organisations seek security, amenities and grievance mechanisms
The Telangana Nurses Association has sought adequate nursing staff, reasonable working hours, properly equipped nursing stations, drinking water, separate washrooms and changing rooms, lockers and rest facilities.
It has also sought protection against workplace violence, security during night shifts, personal protective equipment and occupational health and safety measures. Similar demands for secure accommodation, rest facilities, changing rooms and stronger workplace safeguards have been raised publicly by the association following the incident.
The groups said nursing has traditionally drawn many women from socially and economically marginalised sections. They said occupational stigma, low pay and weak bargaining power can leave workers vulnerable to poor working conditions.
They called on private healthcare institutions in Hyderabad to improve workplace safety and working conditions. They also urged the Telangana government to frame and enforce clear regulations covering safe accommodation, workplace safety, transport and grievance redressal.
The organisations said the incident should also prompt social justice groups to pursue gender-sensitive policies and greater institutional accountability as more Adivasi women enter higher education and professional employment.
