Doctor shot at as groups clash in Amritsar hospital

PK Jaiswar

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, March 14

A doctor was injured when a group of armed men attacked two persons at the local civil hospital late on Saturday night.

Emergency medical officer Dr Bhavneet Singh sustained a bullet injury in the thigh and after first aid he was rushed to a private hospital.

Medical services suspended across state for 2 hrs today

• Condemning the attack, Punjab Civil Medical Services Association senior vice-president Dr Gagandeep Singh Shergill said they had decided to hold a two-hour protest (10 am-noon) on Monday at all hospitals/clinics in the state in protest against the attack on their colleague
• “The entire staff of the Amritsar Civil Hospital is also on strike and medico-legal work has been stopped with immediate effect,” he said
• Dr Shergill said it had been decided that no medico-legal work would be done at night across the state till a proper security system was in place and such facility would remain suspended in Amritsar district till the main accused was arrested

As per information, Rahul Nagi and his brother Madan Nagi had a dispute with one Sunny Sahota at Luv Kush Nagar locality in Putlighar following a minor altercation.

According to the police, Sunny, along with his accomplices Gattu, Gaain, Raj Kumar Raju and their four unidentified friends, clashed with Rahul and Madan, who were hit in the head, while their mother was also allegedly manhandled.

After some time, Sunny and his friends returned to the spot and allegedly fired gunshots at Rahul, who escaped narrowly. A complaint was lodged at the Cantonment police station following which a case was registered against the accused.

The police then sent Rahul and his brother to the Civil Hospital for treatment and medical examination report. However, Raju, Vijay Pardhan, Aman, Gattu, Sunny, Barinder Singh and six unidentified accomplices reached the emergency room and started quarrelling with Rahul.

Sunny started firing randomly and a bullet hit Dr Bhavneet, who along with security persons, tried to intervene. After Dr Bhavneet was injured, the accused fled the spot.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Mukhwinder Singh Bhullar said teams were formed and raids were conducted to nab the assailants. “Three persons — Aman, Vijay Pardah and Barinder Singh — have been nabbed,” he said, adding that armed policemen would now guard the emergency ward of the hospital.

Meanwhile, concerned over the safety of the staff, the Employees Welfare Association barred medico legal report cases and issuing of no-injury certificates. They alleged that earlier, too, similar incidents were reported and the police had been informed. They had urged the police to install a permanent police post in the hospital but to no avail.

“On March 4, several persons had misbehaved with Dr Manpreet Kaur over issuing of a medico legal report. A complaint was also lodged but no action was taken,” said association president Dr Rakesh Sharma. The association members said no medico legal cases would be taken up until a permanent police post was established on the hospital premises.

The IMA condemned the incident and demanded immediate arrest of the accused.

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