Assault on Junior doctor at LLRM Medical College: Protesting doctors resume work after Safety Assurances

Accusing the doctors of laxity in duty, the family members, the deceased son and his friends blamed the doctor for the death of their patient. The angered family members then allegedly assaulted and thrashed the doctor brutally.   

Strongly condemning the attack on the doctor and criticising the medical college authorities for the alleged inadequate security on the premises, the junior resident doctors boycotted work demanding action against the culprits. The doctors earlier refused to work and threatened to initiate a strike until all the culprits were arrested within 12 hours. 

An FIR was registered against two people based on the complaint of the assaulted doctor. Although one accused was arrested, raids were on to nab the main accused in connection. Due to the alleged failure to nab the accused within the given time, the Resident Doctors' Association (RDA) went on strike. 

As a result of the strike, emergency services, including NICU, PICU and the labour room, were shut down, forcing patients to seek treatment elsewhere. The junior doctors sat on dharna blocking the entry of visitors in the emergency wing on Tuesday. 

After a video surfaced online showing resident doctors physically assaulting and verbally abusing attendants of patients and vandalising a car during the strike as per TOI news report, the junior doctors handed their mass resignation to the principal of the medical college demanding immediate arrest of those who were involved in attacking junior doctor.

In a letter to Principal RC Gupta of the medical college, the Resident Doctor Association of the medical college wrote that they are resigning due to "breach in safety measures".

"With due respect, this is to inform you that we the resident of LLRM Medical College after gathering and discussing the matter that happened last night causing grevious hurt on resident and inability of institution in providing safe working environment we are giving our mass resignation we all are unsafe to work in a life threatening situation. We are shutting down emergency (including NICU, PICU, labor room emergency) services and electives. Sorry for the inconvenience", stated the letter.

However, after the police and medical college authorities gave assurances of adequate security for doctors at the workplace and appealed to the protesting doctors to return to work, the junior doctors agreed to return to work and they joined duties on Tuesday night.

Also read- Doctors, nurses manhandled at Majuli Hospital by attendants after patient dies