U.P. doc suspended after April video shows child made to smoke
Deputy chief minister and health minister Brajesh Pathak confirmed the suspension of Dr S Chandra on Tuesday. “An inquiry by the chief medical officer of Jalaun found Dr S Chandra guilty. The doctor has been suspended and attached to the office of the additional director health, Jhansi division,” Pathak said in a press statement.
The Uttar Pradesh government on Monday suspended a government doctor posted at the community health centre in Kuthaund, Jalaun district, over a month after a video surfaced showing him making a five-year-old child smoke a cigarette.
The video went viral on April 7, but action was taken on May 20 (Monday) following an official inquiry. The video purportedly showed the doctor lighting a cigarette, demonstrating how to take a puff, and then handing it to the child who followed his instructions.
Deputy chief minister and health minister Brajesh Pathak confirmed the suspension of Dr S Chandra on Tuesday. “An inquiry by the chief medical officer of Jalaun found Dr S Chandra guilty. The doctor has been suspended and attached to the office of the additional director health, Jhansi division,” Pathak said in a press statement.
Pathak said officials have been instructed to serve Dr Chandra a charge sheet and initiate disciplinary action against him.
In the viral video, the child, brought to the health centre by his father for treatment of a minor ailment, is seen observing as the doctor smokes a cigarette and teaches him how to inhale. The child then smokes the cigarette while the doctor says, “It’s enough training for today. Come again next time.”
Following public outrage over the video, the health department initiated action against the doctor. The matter is now being handled by principal secretary (medical and health) Partha Sarthi Sen Sharma, who has been directed to oversee further proceedings.
In a separate development, the government also suspended a radiologist from Ram Sagar Mishra Combined Hospital in Lucknow. The doctor was transferred to Sonbhadra in December 2024 but failed to report for duty and has now been attached to the office of additional director health, Mirzapur division.
The health minister has also ordered an investigation into allegations of private practice by government doctors at Avantibai Women’s Hospital in the state capital, which is prohibited.
