Cop who Slapped DNB Trainee apologizes after IMA says NO treatment for any policeman

Kolkata: The sheer unity of doctors has brought victory after the offending cop apologised for his misdemeanor against the postgraduate trainee doctor at the CMRI Hospital. The same cop had slapped the DNB trainee, while the doctor was attending to his injuries two days ago.

The cop apologized to the doctor following the intervention of state Indian Medical Association (IMA) which declared that doctors in the state are not going to tend to police officers unless an apology is submitted for the assault as well an arrest is made against him.

Medical dialogues had earlier reported about the incident whereby Jadavpur police station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Pulak Kumar Dutta, who underwent a wrist surgery, allegedly slapped Dr Srinivas Geddam, a DNB trainee doctor at Calcutta Medical Research Institute (CMRI) with his left hand after grabbing him by his neck when asked about his medications. After that, the cop twisted the doctor's right arm and hit him with his fist on his face.

Geddam suffered abrasions on his neck following the assault. It has also been alleged that the doctor had been given veiled threats.

Consequently, the assault triggered a temporary cease work by other doctors in almost all wards of Calcutta Medical Research Institute, barring the emergency and critical care units. However, the protesting doctors resumed work after a few hours only when the police "promised them justice" in the case.

Read Also: Kolkata: Cop allegedly slaps postgraduate trainee doctor tending to him, Doctors call out Ceasework

Meanwhile, condemning the incident, the state branch of IMA wrote to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee seeking her intervention into the matter and action against the accused police officer.

There seems to be "no end to such assaults on doctors" despite the government's multiple awareness campaigns on the issue, Santanu Sen, the state secretary of IMA, told PTI.

The state IMA secretary threatened to intensify protests if action was not initiated against the accused police officer in the next 24 hours.

"Call for the Doctors: If OC of Jadavpur Police Station is not arrested under non-bailable sections for assaulting Doctor in CMRI within 24 hours, then no Doctor should treat any Police Person," Sen wrote on social media platform, reports DNA.

Sen had also met West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and discussed the matter with her. "It is unfortunate that policemen who are there to protect people, themselves assault a doctor. The CM has assured that disciplinary action would be taken against the offending officer," he said after meeting the CM. Later, however, the secretary deleted his Facebook post.

Meanwhile, after his release from the Ruby General Hospital, the cop drove straight to the junior doctor to apologize for his behavior. TOI reports that while shaking the junior doctor's hands, Dutta said, "Jo ho gaya bhul jaiye" (Forget whatever has happened). However, Dutta's "apology" earned him a reprieve from criminal prosecution, but he still faces a departmental inquiry.

The medical fraternity still remains united in their demand for Dutta's arrest.

West Bengal Doctor's Forum secretary Kaushik Chaki was more upfront. "The joint platform of doctors will wait till Monday for the arrest of Pulak Dutta. It is not about a single case. It is about the entire medical community. We will hit the streets on Monday from CMRI to Alipore police station if our demands are not met. If we see no concrete action, we will be forced to go on stringent protests, like OPD closure."

Ironically, the incident occurred even after Kolkata Police issued warnings against such measures. In July this year, the Kolkata had come out in support of medical practitioners openly declaring that whoever assaults a doctor would serve up to 10 years in jail. The declaration had been put all over, including the platforms of social as well in the form of posters outside hospitals.

The poster was also posted on the official twitter handle of the Kolkata Police stating, "Doctors are friends of the society, they are our help in distress, assaulting them is a punishable offense up to 10 years of imprisonment."

Read Also: 10 years Jail time for Assaulting Doctors: Kolkata Police