Viral Video: Anaesthetist beaten on road by police, sent to mental hospital

Vishakhapatnam: Controversy brewed in the state as social media is viral with pictures and videos of an anesthesiologist at Narsipatnam Government Hospital, Dr Sudhakar Rao, who recently beaten by cops on the charge of creating ruckus and was later sent to a mental hospital. The doctor was earlier in the news for slamming the State Government for allegedly not providing N95 masks and PPE Kits to the frontline COVID-19 warriors.

In the video of shocking incident, the doctor was stripped, tied with ropes, roughly kicked and dragged on the streets by the Visakhapatnam police. He was seen bare-chested being kicked by a police constable and floored on the road.

His hands were tied behind his back while he was being dragged by cops and later taken away in an autorickshaw.

According to various media accounts, the condemnable incident took place on May 16 (Saturday) when Dr Rao hit a biker while driving his car. Later the biker called up the cops who rushed to the spot. When the cops tried to confront the medical practitioner, he claimed that he is a Covid-19 patient and created disturbance in the area, reports The New Indian Express. 

As per Vishakapatnam Police Commissioner R.K. Meena, when the police tried to control the surgeon, he allegedly snatched the mobile phone of an officer and threw it away while allegedly hurling abuses at them in an inebriated state.

Subsequently, he was taken into custody and sent for medical examination at the State-run King George Hospital for medical examination. Blood samples were sent to the forensic lab to ascertain alcohol content in his blood, while the doctor was referred to the mental health hospital for treatment, wherein, its Superintendent S Radha Rani stated that he was suffering from an acute and transient psychotic disorder.

Meanwhile, the Visakhapatnam police commissioner announced that the constable who behaved rudely with the doctor was placed under suspension, pending an inquiry. 

Earlier in March, Dr Rao had openly protested before the media and a video went viral where he was seen criticizing the government and can be heard saying: "We are putting our lives at risk here. We are asked to use the same mask for 15 days and a fresh mask will be provided only twice a month."

As this comment went viral on social media, the state government ordered a probe into his allegations and suspended Dr Sudhakar on disciplinary grounds.

The doctor, who spent more than 10 years at the government hospital openly criticized the Reddy government for failing to provide PPE kits and N95 masks to doctors treating Covid-19 patients. He had alleged that the state government was giving N95 masks and PPE kits meant for doctors to politicians and the police.

Strongly criticizing the incident, many associations came forward calling out for the gravity of the inhumane act. Former AP CM and TDP supremo Chandrababu Naidu, who accused the Government while seeking #justiceforsudhakar.

Dr P. Gangadhar Rao, member of the National COVID Committee of the Indian Medical Association told The Print, "We strongly condemn the way he was taken into custody. He was not carrying a weapon, he was alone, the number of policemen outnumbered him. Why treat him like that? We also saw a video where a policeman beats him with a lathi."

"Our next step of action is to get Sudhakar to write an unconditional apology for having used filthy language, abusing the chief minister and the government. We will then take our appeal to the CM seeking that he be reinstated," Gangadhar added.