IGMC Shimla: Pulmonary Medicine doctor suspended after viral video shows him punching a patient

The alleged assault reportedly resulted in a nose injury to the patient, who is currently under treatment. While the exact reason behind the attack is uncertain, several media reports claim that a clash broke out between the doctor and the patient when the patient asked the doctor to speak politely. The patient alleged that the doctor misbehaved and addressed him disrespectfully by calling him 'tu'. When the patient protested, the doctor reportedly assaulted him.

However, the doctor, who hails from Paonta Sahib in Sirmour district, has denied the allegations, claiming that the patient misbehaved with him first, which led to the incident.

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Speaking to the Indian Express, the doctor said, "I did not intend to assault the patient. The patient behaved rudely with me first. I will put my side before the police."

The incident sparked a protest, with the patient's relatives demanding that the doctor be handed over to them. As outrage mounted, Dr Rahul Rao, Medical Superintendent of Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC), said a three-member committee has been constituted to probe the incident following the directions of Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu.

While the doctor has been suspended, the patient's family have filed a police complaint against him. Based on their complaint, the police have registered an FIR under relevant sections of BNS. 

The video, which was shot by a person who was present in the ward on Monday, showed the doctor punching the patient, who was lying on the bed, in the face. The patient is seen resisting by kicking, while two other persons try to restrain both of them. Singh, a resident of Kupvi in Shimla, suffered a nose injury in the incident.

Tensions flared up as hundreds of people, including the relatives and friends of the patient, along with other patients, held a protest in the hospital premises, demanding the arrest of the doctor. 

The protesters barged into the hospital and tried to go to the room where the doctor was kept, demanding that the hospital authorities hand him over. However, the situation was controlled by police personnel who were present there.

Later, speaking to media persons, Singh said that he suffers from pulmonary issues and had visited the hospital for a bronchoscopy. He said that following the test, he started to feel shortness of breath and was advised by the hospital staff to rest.

He said that after this, he went to the pulmonary medicine ward and lay down on a vacant bed to take rest. However, after a few minutes, two doctors approached him and started to misbehave with him, after which he urged them to be respectful, Singh claimed.

He claimed that this agitated the doctor, who went on to assault him.

"I was feeling breathless and was lying on an empty bed requesting a nurse for oxygen, when the doctor came and started asking for reports and misbehaved and lost his cool in 30 seconds. I am not satisfied with the suspension; the doctor should be terminated," Singh told PTI. 

Describing the incident in more detail, the patient told TOI, "Dr *** came and started asking me about my medical reports. He called me 'tu'. When I asked him if he speaks with his family members the same way, the doctor started beating me."

Health Minister Dr. (Col) Dhani Ram Shandil said that as soon as he came to know about the incident, he directed the Secretary (Health), Principal and MS of IGMC to look into the matter and sought details from them.

He said that the doctor is a contractual employee and his services "have been withdrawn with immediate effect." He said that further action will be initiated against him, and a disciplinary committee has been constituted.

"The doctor's behaviour is not fit for medical services and could be terminated in the future, based on the findings of the inquiry," he said.

He said that directions will also be issued by the government to ensure that such incidents do not recur.

Hospital authorities have constituted a committee headed by the head of the Chest and TB department, with Deputy Medical Superintendent and Nursing Superintendent as its members, to inquire into the incident, the officials said.

After the preliminary report was submitted, higher authorities have ordered the immediate suspension of the said doctor till further orders, said Rao, Medical Superintendent of IGMC. Medical tests of the doctor and an attendant of the patient have been conducted.

When asked about the second doctor, who was trying to hold the legs of the patient while the accused doctor was punching him, Shandil told TOI, "An inquiry is being conducted to find out the involvement of the medical staff present in that ward at the time."

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