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Doctor injured in firing during clash at Amritsar civil hospital
Three accused have been arrested; it is yet to be ascertained whether the two weapons used for firing were licensed
Amritsar A medical officer (MO), Dr Bhavneet Singh, who was on emergency duty at the Amritsar civil hospital was injured in firing between two groups outside his ward, around an hour after Saturday midnight.
Members of one of the groups had been admitted in the emergency ward, after getting their medico-legal report (MLR), when the other group barged in and started firing indiscriminately. A bullet hit Dr Bhavneet on the left thigh, but he is out of danger.
Police said about 10:15pm on Saturday, quarrel over an enmity started between Rahul Nagi group and Sunny Sahota, Gattu, Raju, Gayin in the Islamabad area. Rahul and his brother approached the cantonment police station for the registration of a case. The police had then sent the duo to the civil hospital for preparing their medico-legal report (MLR). Rahul and his brother were admitted to the civil hospital’s emergency ward after their MLR had been prepared.
“The accused Sunny Sahota, Raju alias Bhindi, Vijay Pardhan, Aman alias Chinu, Gattu, Barinder Singh alias Raghu and some six-seven unidentified persons reached the hospital and started fighting with Rahul and his family again. Our guards at the hospital and Dr Bhavneet tried to stop the accused. Sahota fired from his pistol and another of his accomplices also fired. During the firing, Dr Bhavneet got injured,” said deputy commissioner of police (DCP) investigation, Mukhwinder Singh Bhullar.
Bhullar added that three accused, Aman, Vijay and Barinder, had been arrested. “Due to the red-alert, only one guard was present on duty in hospital on Saturday night. Our DCP-law and order has assured doctors that we will step up security.” Police added Sahota had been facing several cases under the Excise Act. The DCP said, “It is yet to be ascertained whether the two weapons used for firing were licensed. Preliminary inquiry suggests that no arm license was issued to the accused booked in the case.”
Punjab Civil Medical Services Association member Dr Jaspreet Singh said the incident raised questions about how miscreants can get the courage to carry weapons at public places. The doctors association of Amritsar and Tarn Taran districts have condemned the incident and held responsible to the police administration for failing to ensure the security of the district hospital. They have threatened to go on strike, barring providing emergency services, until the issue of security of the hospital is sorted out.
Rakesh Sharma, chairman, Employees’ Welfare Association of the health department, said police had ignored their pleas for security a number of times. “When the police commissioner had to visit the hospital for covid-19 vaccination, over 20 police guards were deployed, but hospital staff has no security.”
