Ludhiana | Doctor arrested after man dies during treatment for alcohol addiction
The Indian Medical Association (IMA)’s Ludhiana unit raised objections over the arrest of the doctor, claiming that according to the orders of the Supreme Court orders, police cannot lodge an FIR or arrest a doctor without the recommendation of a medical board.
A doctor was arrested on charges of causing death due to negligence after a patient undergoing treatment for alcohol addiction died at Manas Hospital near Saggu Chowk on Thursday. The Indian Medical Association (IMA)’s Ludhiana unit raised objections over the arrest, claiming that according to the orders of the Apex Court, police cannot lodge an FIR or arrest a doctor without the recommendation of a medical board.
The patient, 37, who was an accountant, had been admitted at the private hospital on April 9. His brother-in-law, said that the 37-year-old was healthy and did not face any critical ailment. “He wanted to give up his drinking habit and so we admitted him to the hospital,” said the brother-in-law. He added that his brother-in-law was fine till about 3pm on April 13.
“Around 6pm, we came to know that my brother-in-law was shifted to the special ward where he died suddenly. When we went there, we saw that his body had turned blue and doctors could not give us any explanation for the sudden death,” added the complainant.
“We suspect that he died after being administered the wrong medication,” he added. The kin later staged a protest against the hospital.
PAU station house officer, inspector Gurpreet Singh said an FIR under Section 304A (causing death due to negligence) of the Indian Penal Code has been registered against Dr Ravi, who was in-charge of the patient and other staff in the hospital.
When asked why the advice of a medical board was not availed before registering the FIR, the cop said police registered the FIR after receiving a complaint from the family members of the deceased.
Dr Bimal Kanish, president of IMA Ludhiana, said police had rounded up Dr Ravi on Wednesday evening. “When asked, the police made an excuse that he has been taken in custody so that the aggrieved family would not harm him. They said that they would release him, but later the police arrested him in the case. We will take up the matter with the commissioner of on Friday,” he said.
“It is very unfortunate. It seems no lessons have been learnt from the Jaipur incident where a gynecologist ended her life after a case of murder was filed against her for the alleged death of a pregnant woman who she was treating,” he added.