Knife attack on Patiala doctor by patient sparks protests
Doctors staged a protest at the Government Rajindra Hospital in Patiala on Wednesday after a patient allegedly attacked a junior doctor twice with a knife while the latter was on OPD duty on Tuesday. The doctors are demanding safe working environment.
The incident took place in the emergency room of the orthopaedic department. A case was registered at the Civil Lines police station and cops have started investigating the matter.
Dr Saurabh Aggarwal, a junior resident, said that he was in the orthopaedic department’s OPD when a patient came to him and demanded an admission slip.
“I was busy attending another patient so I asked him to wait. He seemed to be in an inebriated state and started abusing me. He threatened me of dire consequences and moved out of the OPD. However, he returned in some time and attacked me twice with a knife. I was rescued by my colleagues and the security staff,” he said.
Panic gripped the OPD and the resident doctors, interns and female staff started running out of the room after the incident. Police was called to manage the situation and the accused was arrested. The knife was also seized.
On Wednesday morning, all junior and senior residents gathered in front of the office of the medical superintendent and raised slogans demanding justice for the doctor and a safe work environment for all.
Dr Nitin Chabra said, “The medical fraternity is facing a new low in the present times. Yet another resident doctor has survived a life-threatening attack while on emergency duty at the Rajindra hospital.”
Civil lines station house officer (SHO) Rahul Kaushal said that they have registered a case against the accused, identified as Nirmal Singh, 27, of Saholi village, under Sections 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions) and 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code.
Non-functional CCTV cameras
Meanwhile, doctors have alleged all the closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras installed in the emergency wing are non-functional since past few months. The Resident Doctors’ Association has given a memorandum to the principal of the Government Medical College demanding adequate security personnel at the hospital along with repair of the CCTV cameras or installation of new ones.
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