On-duty doctor suffers head injury after mob attack at Bihar hospital, IMA condemn assault

Patna: In yet another incidence of violence against a medical professional in the state, a mob of angry miscreants allegedly brutally assaulted a doctor at Bhabanipur CHC in Purnia over the death of a pregnant woman, resulting in a severe head injury.  

The doctor suffered fractures in his head as he was thrashed brutally with wooden sticks by the miscreants. Following this, the doctor's head began bleeding profusely and he was given immediate medical attention. The doctor is currently under treatment at Purnia sadar hospital.

After the attack, angry doctors gave a 48-hour ultimatum to the district administration and the officials associated with the health department of the district to arrest the accused.

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The Bihar chapter of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has demanded the immediate arrest of the accused within 24 hours. The association condemns the attack and threatens to intensify agitation at the state level if the government fails to take action against the miscreants and provide adequate security to the doctors serving at the hospitals in the state. 

The incident took place on Sunday after a pregnant woman was brought to the CHC during her labour pain. She was admitted to the hospital for delivery. Her baby was delivered by the nurses and the doctor in the morning safely, but the situation went out of control when the woman began bleeding and her condition was deteriorating. The doctor then referred her to a hospital but she died on the way.

As a result, the family members of the deceased backed by other miscreants reached the CHC to confront the doctor carrying the dead body of the woman. They created rucks, ransacked the hospital property and brutally attacked the doctor.

Without verifying the doctors, the miscreants attacked the doctor present at the hospital instead of confronting the doctor who performed the delivery in the morning. After witnessing the horrifying incident, all the doctors and nurses of the CHC ran away.

However, the situation was brought under control after the police reached the spot upon receiving information about the incident, TOI reports.

A video of the incident went viral on social media, where the doctor could be seen defending himself from the angry miscreants who ganged up against him, thrashing him brutally. Sharing the video on Twitter, a user bashed the government for not providing adequate security to the doctors of PHC, CHC in the state. 

The incident has gained attention from the medical fraternity, who strongly condemned the attack and are demanding immediate action against the miscreants. On Monday, the doctors of Government Medical College Hospital (GMCH) boycotted work against this. The work of OPD and General Ward was completely stopped.

"The manner in which the doctors were assaulted and vandalized by the family members in the hospital regarding the death of the pregnant woman. This is condemnable. Angry doctors are protesting against this assault. However, doctors have been appealed to take care that the patient does not suffer due to lack of treatment," Dr Abhay Kumar Thakur, Civil Surgeon, informed ETV Bharat.

Dr Mukesh Kumar, convenor of Purnia Doctors Care Association, said that the entire medical community is indignant and shocked by the deadly attack by armed miscreants on the doctor. If the miscreants are not arrested immediately, then all the members of the Purnia Doctors Care Association are ready to protest on the road against this attack. 

"From Tuesday, all the members of Purnea Doctors Care Association will wear black badges to protest against the life-threatening attack on the doctor," added Kumar. 

Coming in support of the victim's doctor and the medical professionals boycotting the work, the association has informed that the agitation will continue until the arrest is made within time. The association said they will resort to a strict decision if the government fails to resolve the situation in time.

Senior vice-president of state IMA Dr Sunil Kumar informed TOI, “An irate mob attacked the doctor soon after he reached the hospital for emergency duty on Sunday evening. The mob was carrying the body of a woman who had died during the process of normal delivery. They held the doctor hostage at the hospital throughout the night”.

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