According to officials, an objection to being addressed as “tu” resulted in a physical scuffle between a senior resident doctor and a patient in the pulmonary ward of Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) on Monday. The doctor involved has been suspended after the incident.
A video of the altercation later went viral on social media. It showed the doctor, Dr Raghav Narula (31), punching the patient, Arjun Singh (34), on the face. Singh, who hails from Kupvi in Shimla district, was also seen attempting to kick the doctor during the confrontation.
The patient had come to IGMC for a bronchoscopy procedure and reportedly experienced breathlessness afterwards. According to Singh, the argument began when the doctor asked him for his medical reports while he was lying on the hospital bed.
“The issue started when the doctor addressed me as ‘tu’. I was feeling breathless and asking for oxygen. I objected and told him to use ‘tum’ instead, as he is younger than me,” Singh said.
He alleged that when he asked the doctor whether he spoke to his family members in the same manner, the doctor became aggressive and started hitting him.
On Tuesday, members of the Sarv Daliya Mandal from the Chopal Assembly constituency met the Health Minister and demanded the termination of Dr Narula and another associate. BJP MLA from Chopal, Balbir Verma, said the incident had “shamed the state”.
“We have a culture of not even beating an injured enemy. The incident by a doctor is shameful,” Verma said. He added that Singh is a sober person who has been teaching at a local academy for the past 15 years.
Also Read: Shimla patient assault case: IGMC doctor suspended
Verma said mere suspension was not enough and demanded the doctor’s termination. He also called for attempt-to-murder charges, stating that the patient was already struggling to breathe when the assault took place.
The patient’s father described the doctor’s behaviour as “inhuman” and said such a person does not deserve to be in the medical profession.
Health Minister Dhani Ram Shandil termed the incident “unfortunate and unimaginable” for a prestigious institution like IGMC. “The doctor has been suspended. Such individuals do not deserve to be in the profession,” he said.
“All angles are being probed, and statements of eyewitness and others present in the ward are being recorded. A detailed report is expected by Wednesday morning, after which necessary action will be initiated,” the health minister added.
Health department officials said the role of the person assisting the doctor, who was seen in the video trying to hold the patient’s legs, is also being probed.
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