No end to doctor violence! Cardiologist considers quitting profession after mob attack

New Delhi: A recent X (formerly Twitter) post by a senior cardiologist went viral as he narrated how he was attacked by a mob of 20 to 30 people after providing all-day long treatment to a patient, who ultimately passed away.

It has been alleged that when the doctor reached out to the police, the response was "pathetic" and the Inspector of Police at Avalahalli Police Station allegedly pressurised the doctor to delete the post and not to register an FIR!

In another X post, the doctor mentioned that he was considering quitting the medical profession and doing something such as organic farming—to serve society and not face any mob attack. Since the post was posted, around 6,61,000 people have viewed it, and thousands of people have shared it on their social media handles.

The doctor made the first X post on the evening of November 1st, 2024. He mentioned how a 61-year-old male, having a massive heart attack at 11 am came to him for treatment and how after staying by the side of the patient for the whole day, a 20-30 drunk mob attacked him and his staff.

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"61 yrs male, massive heart attack 11am, BP not recordable in ER, resuscitated, performed emergency Angioplasty & stenting, pt unstable, explained to family hr by hr, stood by pt all day-passed away at night- 20-30 drunk mob attacked me and my staff," the doctor's X post read.

He further alleged that when the hospital management called the police, the response was pathetic and added, "hosp mgmt called police (Avalahalli, Bangalore); police response pathetic- pacifying miscreants & watching RMO manhandled, mob threatening to kill me & demanding refund of payment! (they only paid 1L advance & treatment cost already over 2 lacs)."

Expressing how he was considering leaving the medical profession, the doctor, who has been practising since 1992, further mentioned in the post, "AM SERIOUSLY CONSIDERING QUITING THE PROFESSION THAT I SO DEARLY LOVED AND PRACTICED WITH SUCH COMPASSION TOWARDS MY PTS SINCE 1992 & DO SOMETHING LIKE ORGANIC FARMING ETC- SAFE FROM MOB ATTACK AND SERVES THE SOCIETY TOO."

"CAN YOU BELEIVE THIS - Inspector of police- Avalahalli police station- pressurising to delete post in X and not to register an FIR!! Only he knows the reason- but I am led to beleive this is standard police tactic to avoid the hassle of inv and arrrest etc," he further alleged.

In another post, the doctor claimed that the law to protect the doctor only exists on pen and paper. Later, sharing updates regarding the incident, the doctor claimed that due to the power of the social media, police finally registered his complaint and the commissioner of health services asked for a full report. He also informed how the Indian Medical Association (IMA) and CSI i.e. the Cardiologists Society of India took the matter seriously and how they plan to take it up to the Karnataka Home Minister.

However, in another X post yesterday, he informed that till now no action has been taken even though the RMO at the hospital gave a detailed complaint along with CCTV footages.

Meanwhile, in response to the X post, another user mentioned that people are angry how hospitals looted them during COVID 19 pandemic in the name of treatment and how people lost everything they had including their loved ones. The post further mentioned how during the pandemic, dead people were kept on ventilators to inflate the bill and obnoxious rates were charged for meds and how people have now lost their patience.

Responding to this, the doctor mentioned, "I feel this is so inappropriate. Just because of some people being unethical, U can't paint majority of sincere doctors toiling to save a life on Diwali day (also happened to be my Birthday & I could have happily enjoyed the festivities with family& friends) with the same brush."

Further addressing the comments that referred to corporate culture in medical field these days, the doctor mentioned that he had not anything wrong but they were upset with the outcome because the patient had died despite best efforts and how those people manhandled 6 persons altogether.

"The excuses put forward r "they were emotional" "they were inebriated" "they r illiterate"- does any right thinking person agree that any of the above justifies beating up 6 health care professionals doing their duty on Diwali day!" he added in another X post.

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