Tirupur GMCH doctor assaulted by patient attendants; 3 arrested

Coimbatore: In a shocking case of violence against medical professionals, a trainee doctor on duty at the Tirupur Government Medical College Hospital (GMCH) was allegedly assaulted by friends of two accident victims, who were angry over an alleged delay in getting X-rays and treatment.

Following the incident, the police have arrested three men under Sections 329 (4), 296 (b), 115 (2), 121 (1), 132 and 351 (3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 3 of the Tamil Nadu Medicare Service Persons and Medicare Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage or Loss to Property) Act, 2008.

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As per the TOI news report, the incident took place after two men, identified as Deepak and Karthik, who had been in an accident, visited the government hospital for treatment on Tuesday night. The trainee doctor, Karthik Murugan, who was on duty in the emergency ward, administered first aid and advised them to get an X-ray for further treatment.

However, there was a delay in getting the X-ray scans done for the two patients due to an influx of Diwali-related emergencies. The friends who accompanied them became involved in a verbal dispute with the doctor at around 1:30 a.m. In rage, they reportedly assaulted the doctor, and the staff who witnessed the incident immediately alerted the police outpost on the hospital campus.

The police immediately reached the spot and captured the three men. Based on the doctor's complaint, the Tiruppur South police arrested them. They were remanded in judicial custody.

The trainee doctor sustained injuries and was admitted to the same hospital for treatment.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that the medical community expressed outrage and raised concerns over the dignity and privacy of medical professionals after a senior neurosurgeon at Government Doon Medical College (GDMC), Dehradun, was allegedly abused, assaulted, and manhandled by a reporter in the presence of police officials. A video of the reporter allegedly shouting and grabbing the doctor by the collar has gone viral on social media.

Also read- Neurosurgeon assault at Doon Medical College caught on video, Sparks outrage