Dera Bassi Hospital doctor assaulted over patient referral, colleagues protest
Assault on Doctor Triggers OPD Shutdown and Protest at Dera Bassi Hospital
Dera Bassi: In a shocking incident, a woman doctor was allegedly assaulted by two unidentified men near Dera Bassi Sub-Divisional Hospital, prompting hospital staff to suspend OPD services and stage a protest over alleged police inaction.
The victim, an anaesthetist, was allegedly attacked on Friday morning while she was on her way to work. According to hospital authorities, the incident occurred after she parked her vehicle near the Forest Department office and was walking towards the hospital.
According to the news reports, the attackers were allegedly angered by the referral of a patient to another hospital. The two unidentified individuals reportedly approached her and inquired about her profession. Upon learning that she was an anaesthetist, the two men allegedly began pushing, slapping, and physically assaulting her. Frightened by the sudden attack, the doctor managed to reach her car and lock herself inside, after which the attackers fled the scene.
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The doctor later informed her colleagues about the incident and lodged a written complaint to the Dera Bassi police. However, doctors at the hospital alleged that despite more than 24 hours having passed since the complaint was lodged, no significant action had been taken against the accused and no additional security arrangements had been made for the safety of medical staff.
During the protest, doctors said this was not the first instance of misbehaviour or assault on hospital staff. They alleged that the lack of strict action against offenders had encouraged further attacks on the medical community, reports the Tribune India.
The hospital staff warned that OPD services would remain suspended until the accused are arrested, legal action is initiated against them, and adequate security measures are put in place.
While routine OPD services remained closed during the protest, emergency and critical care services continued uninterrupted to ensure that patients requiring urgent medical attention were not affected. Senior medical officer (SMO) Dr Dharmendra Singh confirmed that the matter had been reported to the police and that further action was underway, reports Hindustan Times.
SHO Dera Bassi Police Station inspector Sumit Mour said that an FIR had been registered against the two unidentified men, one of whom had slapped the doctor, and that the police were examining CCTV footage to identify the accused.
