On duty resident doctor allegedly assaulted, threatened with shooting: AIIMS Nagpur doctors withdraw services in protest, list demands

Nagpur: An on-duty junior resident doctor involved in the treatment of a patient in the MICU of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Nagpur was reportedly physically assaulted, abused, and threatened with death by a group of around 10 attendants following the patient's death. 

It has been alleged that the accused individuals allegedly assaulted the doctor, held him by the collar, and issued threats, including an alleged threat to shoot him outside the hospital premises.

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In protest against the alleged assault, around 600 resident doctors, including senior residents, at AIIMS Nagpur threatened to go on an indefinite strike if the administration fails to address their demands regarding the incident, as per a TOI report. Their key demands include registration of an institutional FIR instead of an FIR against the individual doctor, arrest of the accused persons, and invocation of stringent provisions of law in the case.

Now, according to the latest report by TOI, resident doctors at AIIMS Nagpur have withdrawn non-emergency OPD and routine IPD services. The Resident Doctors’ Association (RDA) said emergency and critical-care services, including ICUs, would continue to function. The withdrawal will remain in force until the administration provides a satisfactory, written and time-bound response to all its demands. The association said its demands, submitted to the Medical Superintendent on September 23, had not been fully met.

The RDA has raised concerns over alleged external and political influence in clinical functioning. It has demanded a formal “No Special Treatment” policy, alleging that patients referred by politically influential persons are sometimes given priority for ward or ICU beds by bypassing the waiting list, reports TOI. It wants all patients, except those covered under existing institutional SOPs, to be assessed through a common waiting system based on disease severity and prognosis.

The association has also reportedly demanded a separate SOP for genuine VIP patients, saying such protocols should not disrupt clinical decisions or the working environment of resident doctors. Other demands include strengthening security, mandatory training for security personnel in handling violence against healthcare workers, a 24x7 rapid-response team, and alarm and public-address systems in sensitive areas such as ICUs, the emergency department and operation theatres, adds TOI report.

The RDA has sought an institutional committee with resident-doctor representation to review the September 22 incident and security protocols, along with a written action plan within 24 hours. It has also demanded a formal referral policy to reduce overcrowding at the tertiary-care institute.

Violence at AIIMS Nagpur:

Explaining the incident, the Resident Doctors' Association, AIIMS Nagpur, strongly condemned the alleged assault and said that the incident took place in the MICU on September 22, 2026, at around 9 am. The affected doctor, along with other doctors, was providing intensive care to a critically ill patient. 

The patient later died due to a serious medical condition. Following this, a group of approximately 8-10 individuals entered the highly restricted MICU area and subjected the on-duty Junior Resident and other members of the treating team to verbal and physical aggression, the association said.

The incident occurred in the presence of resident doctors, nursing staff, the faculty in-charge of the MICU, senior faculty members from the Department of Medicine, interns and other MICU staff, the association added. 

"Most seriously, the affected resident doctor and other doctors involved in the patient's treatment were personally threatened with being shot to death. It is also a matter of serious concern that the behaviour of the relatives appeared to be influenced by their reported strong connections with people of political influence which is evident by the recommendation from institutional authorities for priority MICU admission. Such acts of violence and intimidation against healthcare professionals performing their duties are completely unacceptable and pose a serious threat to the safety and functioning of healthcare services. The Resident Doctors' Association stands firmly in solidarity with the affected Resident Doctor and the entire treating team and demands immediate, stringent, and appropriate action by the concerned authorities against those responsible, along with necessary measures to ensure the safety and security of healthcare workers within the hospital," the association said in a press release.

Meanwhile, FAIMA also strongly condemned the incident and demanded action against the alleged culprits.

In a press release, it said, "As per the incident report made available to FAIMA, the patient was critically ill and receiving intensive care. During the morning hours of 22 September, attendants allegedly breached the security arrangements, entered the MICU, confronted the on-duty doctor, physically assaulted him, held him by the collar, and issued threats, including an alleged threat to shoot the doctor outside the hospital premises. FAIMA strongly condemns any act of violence, intimidation, or threat against healthcare professionals. A hospital—particularly an ICU—must remain a safe environment for patients and healthcare workers. Violence or intimidation inside a critical-care area not only endangers doctors and other staff but may also disrupt the treatment of critically ill patients."

In solidarity with the affected doctor and the entire medical team, FAIMA urged the AIIMS Administration and concerned law-enforcement authorities to ensure an immediate and impartial investigation into the incident and take appropriate action under the applicable provisions of law, treat the reported threat to the doctor's life with utmost seriousness and provide adequate security to the affected doctor, preserve and review all relevant CCTV footage and other available evidence from the MICU and surrounding areas, strengthen security and access-control mechanisms in emergency departments, ICUs and other critical-care areas, and ensure that healthcare workers can discharge their professional duties without fear of assault, intimidation or retaliation.

Further, it added, "An assault on a doctor inside an ICU is an assault on the safety of the entire healthcare system."

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