Kolkata Gynaecologist accused of denying treatment to pregnant woman post Pahalgam attack

Kolkata: In the wake of the terrorist attack on tourists in Kashmir's Pahalgam, a gynaecologist from a local private hospital has been accused of denying treatment to a seven-month pregnant woman because she is a Muslim. A complaint against the doctor has been filed with the Maheshtala Police Station and the West Bengal Medical Council. 

The doctor, who had been treating the woman for the past seven months, is accused of not knowing her full name and being aware only of her first name. According to the woman’s husband, after learning her last name, the doctor allegedly refused to continue treatment, claiming she would not treat a Muslim patient because people of that religion are killing Hindus. The doctor, who is Hindu, also allegedly linked the woman’s religion to the recent terror attacks and made remarks of religious bigotry.

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The accusations came to the fore after the woman had gone to the gynaecologist's house for her fifth check-up on Thursday afternoon. The doctor and the patient live in the same upscale housing complex in Maheshtala. She remained silent during the interaction but later called the doctor, who reportedly repeated that she would not treat a Muslim patient, claiming that people of the woman’s religion were attacking members of her own community.

After this reported bitter encounter, the woman returned to her home and informed her husband about it. Furious over the issue, her husband filed a complaint against the doctor and wrote to the medical council. 

As per a India Today news report, the matter gained public attention after a photo and an audio message began circulating on social media. The message claimed that Dr *** refused treatment to the woman because she is Muslim, and it also linked the situation to the terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam on April 22, where 26 people lost their lives. The message called for a boycott of the doctor. 

In reaction to the controversy, the hospital management lodged complaints with the local police and the cybercrime cell. They asked for the false content to be removed and clarified that the hospital had no part in any wrongdoing. 

Describing the matter in detail, the husband of the woman said, “The doctor had herself asked my wife to come to her flat as we live in the same complex. When she heard my wife’s full name, the doctor told her she won’t treat Mohammedan patients. My wife could not understand what the doctor was saying because she never expected her to say such a thing."

"My wife asked the doctor if she was saying that she won’t examine her at home, but the doctor again said she won’t treat Muslim patients. She told my wife that people of our religion were killing people from her religion," said the husband. 

“My wife told her that she felt insulted at what the doctor told her. She told her she was a patient, and to a doctor, a patient has no religion. The doctor still insisted that she would not treat a Muslim patient."

The complaint's sister-in-law, a lawyer, said they would move court if cops or the council fail to act on the matter, reports TOI. 

Meanwhile, a member of the state medical council said, "It would be unethical for a doctor to refuse to treat a patient. 

An officer of the Diamond Harbour police district said, "We had forwarded the complaint to the state medical council and the state health department. We will need a nod from the council before we can take any action against the doctor."

Doctor's response

Refuting the allegations, the doctor told The Telegraph, "I am being defamed. I will go for a defamation suit against the patient and her family. Eighty per cent of my patients are Muslims. Will I say something that hurts me the most? I have also filed a complaint at Parnasree police station that I am being defamed.”

In her complaint, the doctor stated, "It is the patient's attempt at ruining my three-decade-old career due to personal reasons. I will take recourse to the law. I may have been jittery and made some comments to my staff while watching the news on TV, but nothing was said to the patient."

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