The Resident Doctors’ Association (RDA) of Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC), Shimla, on Sunday announced the withdrawal of its indefinite strike with immediate effect. The decision came after Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu’s assurance that a detailed enquiry into the matter will be conducted and the termination of Dr Raghav Nirula will be revoked.
In a press statement issued on December 28, the RDA said the decision was taken in the larger public interest. The association said the Chief Minister assured it of a comprehensive probe into the incident and the revocation of the termination order against the doctor concerned.
"The RDA believes in the word of the Hon'ble Chief Minister and, keeping patient care and public interest foremost, has decided to withdraw the indefinite strike with immediate effect," the association further added.
RDA president Dr Sohil Sharma said the association would stay closely involved in the enquiry process until the termination order is formally withdrawn.
"We have withdrawn the strike in good faith after the assurance given by the Hon'ble Chief Minister. However, the RDA will remain fully vested in the enquiry process till the termination orders are revoked. A further plan of action will be discussed in our meeting scheduled for January 3, 2026," Dr Sharma said.
The association also thanked resident doctors’ bodies across Himachal Pradesh and the country for supporting the agitation. It expressed gratitude to the Himachal Medical Officers’ Association, SAMDCOT, medical teachers’ associations, and other organisations for standing in solidarity.
The indefinite strike by resident doctors at IGMC had disrupted hospital services over the past several days, raising concerns among patients and the hospital administration. With the strike now called off, normal medical services at the state’s premier medical institution are expected to resume fully.
The services of Dr Raghav Nirula, a senior resident in the Department of Pulmonary Medicine at IGMC, were terminated after a video showing a physical altercation between him and a patient went viral on social media.
The incident took place on December 22 and involved Dr Nirula and a 36-year-old patient, Arjun Pawar, a resident of Chopal.
Besides terminating the services of the doctor, the Shimla police registered an FIR against him at the Shimla Sadar Police Station under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
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