Chennai doctor stabbed seven times by son of patient
The doctor who has suffered seven stab injuries — to his neck, behind his ears, his back, forehead and his head — is undergoing treatment in the intensive care unit of the Kalaignar Centenary Hospital in Guindy.
A doctor sustained multiple stab wounds after a man, upset over alleged negligence in treatment for his mother, attacked him at a government hospital in Chennai on Wednesday, officials said, adding that while a probe into his allegations has begun they have also arrested the attacker.
The doctor who has suffered seven stab injuries — to his neck, behind his ears, his back, forehead and his head — is undergoing treatment in the intensive care unit of the Kalaignar Centenary Hospital in Guindy, the officials said after the attack on the on-duty doctor triggered protests by his colleagues.
Chief minister MK Stalin sought to assuage the protesting doctors and ordered a detailed probe into the incident, assuring steps to prevent the recurrence of such incidents.
The attack took place at around 10.15am, when the accused, identified as Vignesh, 26, said he wanted to discuss his mother’s treatment plan with Dr Balaji Jaganathan, an oncologist at the hospital.
Vignesh entered the out-patient room, where he assaulted the doctor before stabbing him with a small knife at least seven times.
Hospital staff and security managed to rescue the doctor, who had also undergone pacemaker implantation, was resuscitated and immediately operated upon by a multidisciplinary team of surgeons.
“Since he is a heart patient who has a pacemaker, and is on medication for his condition, the stab injuries have caused excessive bleeding,” said the emergency anaesthesiologist who treated the doctor. “We have operated on him and he is stable now,” the anaesthesiologist said.
Vigneshwaran’s mother, Kanchana, underwent six sessions of chemotherapy at the hospital, but they shifted to a private hospital where the doctors allegedly told them that her lungs had been compromised, officials said.
“His mother (Kanchana) was given six chemo sessions here but he was not satisfied with it saying her lungs were affected which is his misunderstanding,” said health minister M Subramanian who visited the doctor in the ICU.
They approached the hospital at an advanced stage of cancer, the minister said. “We are told that the youngster (accused) went to a private doctor who told him that his mother was not given proper treatment which angered him and he stabbed the doctor. Police are conducting further investigation with him,” the minister said.
Amid protests by other doctors at the hospital, the minister said there is a strong security presence around the hospital and it was impossible for anyone to gain entry without an out-patient slip. “The accused took an OP slip to meet the doctor. Since he has been an attender here, he was a familiar face here. He didn’t show any signs of violence so nobody suspected him,” the minister said.
The mother of the accused said he was deeply disturbed due to her illness, while his brother blamed the doctor of negligence. “What my brother did was wrong but he did it because of the doctor. We don’t want others to suffer like my mother,” the brother said.
CM Stalin expressed shock over the crime. “The family member of the patient has been arrested immediately,” Stalin posted on X. “I have ordered for Dr Balaji to be given all the necessary treatment and for a detailed inquiry into the incident. The selfless work of our government doctors is immeasurable and it is our duty to ensure their safety. The government will take all measure to prevent such incidents from happening in the future.”
Deputy chief minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, along with Subramanian, inspected the hospital and assured stringent legal action. They met the oncologist, being treated at the ICU.
Later, AIADMK leaders D Jayakumar and C Vijayabaskar also met the doctor under treatment.
AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami said there was no security for a “government doctor in a government hospital”, and it showed the status of the law-and-order situation.
The Tamil Nadu Government Doctors Association (TNGDA), meanwhile, has announced an indefinite strike. The doctors will not attend work except emergency services, and “very critical” surgeries, Dr K Senthil, President TNGDA, said. “Why should we work when we don’t have security?” he asked. “We have been raising this issue with the government for the past several years but nothing has been done to beef up security within government hospitals.”