Himachal Pradesh News
IGMC Shimla Patient Assault Row: Doctors Back Colleague, Family Demands His Dismissal
A controversy has erupted at IGMC Shimla after a doctor was accused of assaulting a patient. While the Resident Doctors Association has defended the doctor, the patient’s family has demanded his termination and a stricter criminal case.
The Resident Doctors Association (RDA) at Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital (IGMC) on Tuesday came out in defence of their colleague, who has been accused of assaulting a patient in the pulmonary ward earlier this week.
Meanwhile, the family and friends of the injured patient met Health Minister Dhani Ram Shandil and Shimla Superintendent of Police Sanjeev Gandhi, demanding the termination of the accused doctor’s services and the registration of a case of attempt to murder. Chopal MLA Balbir Verma accompanied the patient’s relatives and local residents during the meeting.
Reacting to the incident, the Health Minister termed the alleged assault on a patient as unfortunate.
Addressing a press conference on the hospital premises, members of the RDA claimed that the patient had initiated the scuffle and that the doctor acted in self-defence. They alleged that only one side of the incident was being highlighted and called for an impartial inquiry to establish the truth.
Reading out a statement of the suspended doctor, RDA office-bearers said the patient had first misbehaved with him, abused him and his family, and later attacked him. The doctor, who is also undergoing treatment at the hospital, has sought strict action against the patient.
On the other hand, the patient’s family and friends urged the Shimla SP to order a thorough inquiry into the role of all doctors and staff present at the time of the incident. They also demanded that all evidence, including digital records, be seized to ensure a fair investigation.
