A young resident doctor at Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital (IGMC) allegedly assaulted a patient on Monday, triggering public outrage and protests on the hospital premises. The doctor has been suspended and a high-powered committee has been constituted to probe the incident.
A video recorded by an attendant shows the doctor repeatedly punching a patient lying on a bed. The clip went viral, drawing widespread condemnation on social media.
IGMC Medical Superintendent Dr Rahul Rao said the patient, a resident of Kupvi in Shimla district, had undergone bronchoscopy earlier in the day. “He was advised rest and asked to return after two hours for an X-ray. He went to the pulmonary ward, where he and the resident doctor had an altercation,” Dr Rao said.
The patient, Arjun Panwar, alleged that rude behaviour by the doctor triggered the incident. “I was struggling to breathe and lying on the bed. The doctor spoke to me in a rude tone. When I asked him to mind his language, he attacked me,” he claimed.
Following the assault, attendants and members of the public gathered outside the hospital, demanding the doctor’s suspension and arrest. The patient’s family also lodged a police complaint.
The hospital administration formed a three-member committee to submit a report by evening, but protesters refused to disperse. Police were deployed in large numbers to control the situation.
“The Chief Minister took note of the matter and sought a report. Based on the findings, we received orders to suspend the doctor till further instructions,” Dr Rao said. The crowd dispersed only after the suspension was announced.
