Delhi Police cop’s son ‘assaults’ Safdarjung hospital staff, services affected as doctors strike work

The resident doctors wrote a formal complaint to the hospital administration, requesting them to lodge an institutional FIR in the incident.

Emergency services at the Safdarjung Hospital were hit after resident doctors at the Safdarjung Hospital went on strike on Sunday following an assault on a doctor by a patient who happens to be son of a Delhi Police head constable.

With the strike by resident doctors likely to affect services on Monday as well, the Safdarjung hospital administration has put faculty and paramedical staff on duty to handle the rush of patients that is the hospital likely to witness. (HT File)

Police have registered a case and are probing the matter.

According to police, 24-year-old Akshey Kumar arrived at the ER-3 ward of the hospital at around 7am and complained of abdominal pain.

By this time, Kumar’s father Virender, a Delhi Police head constable posted at Safdarjung police station, called up the duty constable Vinod at the hospital informing him that his son would be coming there for treatment.

During treatment, Kumar allegedly abused the attending junior resident doctor 28-year-old Ravinder Nath Thakur. Doctors alleged that the police constables on duty at the hospital “backed” the attackers.

“Following an argument, Kumar assaulted the doctor,” said deputy commissioner of police (southwest) Devender Arya. “The doctor suffered injuries to his nose, and hospital security intervened to control Kumar. The police was informed and the doctor was treated at the hospital. We have registered a case of assault against the man and they have been asked to join for the probe.”

At the hospital, he was accompanied by his friend Rajesh. Police are yet to establish whether Rajesh too was involved in the alleged assault.

Vinod as well as Virender have been suspended pending enquiry.

Sunday’s strike affected emergency services in the hospital, including wards, intensive care units and operation theatres.

With the strike likely to affect services on Monday as well, hospital administration has put faculty and paramedical staff on duty to handle the rush of patients that is the hospital likely to witness with the out-patient departments (OPDs) open for consultation.

The resident doctors wrote a formal complaint to the hospital administration, requesting them to lodge an institutional FIR in the incident.

According to the complaint, “the culprits had backing from the police constable on duty, who showed bias on duty and clearly favoured the culprits… the culprits had police constable’s duty wooden stick (lathi) while they were assaulting the doctors…”

“We intend to continue the strike as doctors need to get a safe work environment. The guards didn’t come in time and the duty doctor was badly beaten for doing his job. Our demands include strict action against the persons concerned and to increase security in the hospital,” said Dr Prakash Thakur, president, resident doctors association, Safdarjung hospital.