Female doctor assaulted by patient’s relatives at Delhi govt hospital

A female resident doctor was brutally assaulted by five women attendants of a patient at Baba Saheb Ambedkar Medical College and Hospital in Rohini on Monday following the death of a newborn baby, police said

A female resident doctor was brutally assaulted by five women attendants of a patient at Baba Saheb Ambedkar Medical College and Hospital in Rohini on Monday following the death of a newborn baby, police said. An FIR has been registered against the accused, who were later released on bail, they added.

Female doctor assaulted by patient’s relatives at Delhi govt hospital

The attack took place around 2pm in the corridor between the labour room and wards 11 and 12, when five women allegedly cornered a second-year gynaecology resident and began physically assaulting her, police said. Another resident doctor who attempted to intervene was also injured, they added.

”While I was passing through the corridor, I saw four to five women suddenly approach and point at the victim saying, ‘Yahi hai woh doctor, ise maaro’ (This is that doctor, beat her). They started assaulting her. Her clothes were torn, they pulled her by her hair and punched her repeatedly. When I tried to protect her, they turned on me as well,” said the second doctor who was injured in the scuffle.

According to hospital officials, the patient whose relatives attacked the doctor had delivered a baby about a week ago. The infant was critically ill and placed on a ventilator. Despite undergoing Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), the newborn died after seven days on Monday morning. The mother remains admitted and is receiving treatment.

Dr Meenakshi Sidhar, medical director of the hospital, told HT: “While guards are posted across the hospital, the attack happened at a location where it took some time for them to reach. Immediately after the incident, the victim’s MLC was done, and an institutional FIR was filed.”

She added that “all hospital security staff have been reinstated” and measures are being implemented to prevent future incidents.

In response to the incident, the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) on Tuesday, wrote to Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, expressing “deep anguish and alarm” over the attack. “Despite prior assurances and policy discussions, doctors continue to work in an environment of fear, without adequate security, and with little to no accountability from administrative bodies,” FAIMA stated in their letter.

The association also demanded immediate release of CCTV footage and strict action under relevant BNS sections for physical assault, attempted strangulation, and assault on a public servant.

A criminal case has been registered under multiple sections of Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita including obstructing a public servant during their duty, assault, wrongful restraint, use of criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe and provisions of the Medical Services Personnel and Medical Service Institutions Act 2008, though all five accused women were subsequently released after being bound down in the case, police said. “The attendants assaulted the doctor ‘in the heat of anger,’ they added in a statement.