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Silchar doctor accused of assaulting patient mobbed by relatives, rescued by cops
The Assam hospital said the doctors were first attacked by a group of people and junior doctors hit back in defence
Silchar: A doctor in Assam’s Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMCH) was rescued by police from an angry mob on Wednesday night after being accused of assaulting a female patient.
Cachar superintendent of police (SP) Numal Mahatta said they received a call from SMCH at 11pm on Wednesday to seek help to rescue the doctor from the mob.
Family members of the pregnant woman at the centre of the row alleged that doctors ignored and insulted her. “We briefly protested against it and they attacked us,” said one family member.
“Around 50 junior doctors gathered at the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) department, they stopped us and beaten us. One doctor also kicked the pregnant woman,” the family members added.
Mahatta said the police are yet to receive a formal complaint from either side.
The hospital on Thursday issued a statement claiming that the doctors were first attacked by a group of people and in defence, the junior doctors hit back.
“Over 80 outsiders, mostly in an intoxicated condition, came to SMCH and attacked the doctors. We don’t have adequate security personnel to protect the doctors, so the PG students gathered and defended their colleagues,” a senior official said.
SMCH principal Dr Babul Bezbarua said: “There can be a fault from the doctor’s side and I am not denying that. But this is not how they deserve to be treated. In that ward, male attendants are not allowed as per the norms, but in most cases, they forcibly enter and interfere”.
He said the hospital has already asked the state to strengthen the department to reduce the pressure on existing medical staff and asked people to understand how other patients suffer due to such incidents of confrontation.
“There were over 60 infants in the department when the incident happened. For over 2 hours, their treatment was interrupted. Someone could have lost a life or an infant could have been stolen in that situation,” he said.
“People should also understand that such attacks on doctors can lead to years of imprisonment,” the principal added.
Assistant principal of SMCH Dr Bhaskar Gupta said the patient was brought in a critical condition from a private hospital. “After the incident on Wednesday night, they again moved the patient to a private hospital.”
