Doctor at Phagwara civil hospital 'assaulted' by kin of deceased patient; 5 held after protest by medical staff

Ashok Kaura

Phagwara, November 12

Tension prevailed in Phagwara Civil Hospital after Emergency Medical Officer Dr Ashish Tyagi was mercilessly beaten up by the relatives, family members and some residents of Guru Teg Bahadur Nagar (Tibbi) today, who got angry when EMO declared a badly injured youth dead.

After the assault, entire staff of the hospital, including medical and para-medical staff, suspended their work in the hospital and sat on dharna outside the hospital in protest.

The 16-year-old youngster, identified as Anuj, a resident of Tibbi (Phagwara), was run over by a train near Shivpuri locality on Phagwara—Banga rail section this morning. The boy was listening music on air pods while crossing the railway lines around 7.30 am today.

The youth was brought to the civil hospital but succumbed to his injuries after sometime. The relatives got angry and held the EMO responsible for the death and beat him up mercilessly. On hearing the news, all doctors, including SMO Dr Kamal Kishore, suspended their work and sat on dharna in support of Dr Tyagi.

Phagwara SDM Dr Amardeep Thind, DSP Jaspreet Singh and SHO Amandeep Singh Nahar reached the civil hospital to calm down the situation.

Meanwhile, on a call given by PCMSA Punjab, OPD services have been indefinitely suspended in Kapurthala district at all centres till the miscreants are arrested and FIR registered against them.

Doctors and staff member of Kapurthala Civil Hospital led by Akashdeep Singh Sohi, district president, PCMS KPT, have boycotted their duties and demanded legal action against the family members who misbehaved with Dr Tyagi. Doctors at Bholath Civil Hospital and Begowal Civil Hospital also boycotted their duties.

PCMSA state team lead by Dr Vaninder Riar, general secretary, PCMSA, has reached Phagwara to assess the situation. They warned that OPDs across the state would be shut down from Monday onwards in case the miscreants are not nabbed and FIR not registered under relevant sections by today evening.

 They said that PCMSA will wait till November 21 for the DGP letter regarding providing foolproof 24-hour security at all government hospitals, failing which, stronger measures will be announced by PCMSA Punjab.

Meanwhile, Director, Health Services, has a word with Kapurthala Deputy Commissioner and has demanded that strict action be taken at the earliest in the form of immediate arrest and filing of FIR under all relevant sections.

5 arrested for assault

On a complaint lodged by Phagwara Emergency Medical Officer Dr Ashish Jeitly, the city police have registered a case under Sections 307, 323, 353, 186, 506, 148 of the IPC, and 4 Punjab Protection of Medicare Service Persons and Medicare Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and damage to Property) Bill 2008 against five persons on the charges of beating up government doctor, damaging of public property, and creating nuisance in the civil hospital after the death  of Anuj Singh.

Phagwara DSP Jaspreet Singh said the accused have been identified as Jai Parkash Singh, his wife Ritu Devi, brother Om Parkash, his wife Ranju Devi and son Anoop Singh. The DSP confirmed that all five accused have been arrested. Meanwhile, the body of the deceased has been kept in hospital mortuary for post mortem examination, which would be conducted by a board of doctors tomorrow, said Senior Medical Officer Dr Kamal Kishore.