Attack on doctor: Association seeks immediate arrest of suspects in Patiala

Ravneet Singh

Patiala, January 31

The Resident Doctors’ Association (RDA) of Government Rajindra Hospital today questioned the lack of adequate security arrangements on the premises after a resident doctor was beaten up by some miscreants on the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday.

Inadequate security arrangements

The case should have been registered by the institution. The hospital lacks adequate security arrangements. There is a lack of CCTV cameras on the premises. The hospital also lacks enough security guards. The entry and exit points should be manned. Harinder Singh Gill, President, PCMS Association

Though the police said they have arrested one of the suspects, the doctors demanded immediate arrest of all those involved. They threatened to launch a stir in case the police failed to do so.

The medical practitioners held a meeting on the matter and demanded arrest of the suspects within 24 hours.

According to doctors, some outsiders who had come to the hospital with a patient misbehaved with lady doctors and nurses and later attacked and injured a senior doctor on duty.

Dr Darshanjit Singh Walia, president, Medical and Dental Teachers’ Association, Punjab, said the doctors held a meeting with Junior Doctors’ Association, Punjab Civil Medical Services (PCMS) Association, the nursing and Class-IV Employees’ Associations. “The attack left the resident doctor with multiple facial fractures. We demand Section 307 (attempt to murder) be added to the FIR,” Walia said.

He said the doctor was attacked while he was on duty, but “So far, no one from the district administration or the representatives of the public has met the injured doctor.”

The PCMS Association also submitted a memorandum to the college and hospital administration and questioned the lack of security arrangements. They said the injured doctor had to register a police case himself.

Harinder Singh Gill, president, PCMS Association and vice-president of the association Dr Sumeet Singh said the case should have been registered by the institution. Gill said, “The case should have been registered by the institution. The hospital lacks adequate security arrangements. There is a lack of CCTV cameras on the premises. The hospital also lacks enough security guards. The entry and exit points should be manned.”

The doctors said relevant sections of the Punjab Protection of Medicare Service Persons and Medicare Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage to Property) Act-2008 should also be added to the case.

Medical Superintendent Dr Harnam Singh Rekhi said he had taken up the matter with the Senior Superintendent of Police.

Regarding the lack of security arrangements, he said 200 CCTV cameras are currently functional on the premises while the department is in process of installing 200 more. He said, “We presently have 75 security guards and have written to the Health Department to add 140 more employees.”

Civil Lines SHO Jaspreet Singh Kahlon said the police had arrested one of the suspects identified as Rohit (26). “We are trying to arrest the other suspects as well,” he said.