Raipur: A doctor attached to Bhim Rao Ambedkar Hospital was recently thrashed and assaulted by a jail guard after a verbal spat broke out between the medical practitioner and the guard, who was irked over delay in MRI scanning of an ill prisoner.
Condemning the incident, the doctors associated with the Junior Doctors' Association of Raipur boycotted the OPD services of the hospital along with all elective procedures on Tuesday demanding strict action against the accused jail guard.
Raipur's SP has confirmed that the guard has already been booked under section 186 (Obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions) and 353 (Assault or criminal force) IPC. Police are still investigating the case.
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As per a recent media report by Hindustan Times, on Monday one of the jail guards entered an argument with a doctor attached to Bhim Rao Ambedkar Hospital, Raipur allegedly due to a delay in attending a prisoner. The argument took a heated turn and soon the jail guard resorted to violence.
The incident took place at Ambedkar hospital's Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College on Monday late evening, when a jail guard Shatrughan Rao to get a medical examination of an ill prisoner from Dantewada. For MRI scanning, Rao had to wait in a long queue. Irked, he started shouting at the technicians. A verbal spat broke out between the guard and technicians when he complained about running from one corner to other for tests.
A video of the assault went viral on social media. In the video, doctors can be seen trying to pacify the situation and asking Rao to wait. However, the guard refuses to wait and started thrashing the technicians in the medical college. Later, the hospital's security guard intervened to control the situation, reports TOI.
Triggered, doctors and technicians staged a protest outside Madhapur police station demanding the arrest of the offender. Chhattisgarh's Health Minister TS Deo has also condemned the incident and stated that no action of violence against doctors will be accepted by the government.
The Association has demanded that strict action should be taken against the offender by the authorities within the next 24 hours. They have threatened that all the doctors will stop serving in the emergency service units if steps are not taken against the offender.
Indresh Yadav, the president of the Junior Doctor's Association has submitted a letter in this regard to the dean of Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College as well. The association has demanded that the offender should be immediately sacked from his position and they also urged the concerned authorities to take serious action against the duty police officers as well.
Commenting on the incident, Chhattisgarh health minister TS Deo tweeted stating that strict action will be taken against the accused. He added, "The video of the ruckus at Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Raipur is very shocking and unacceptable. Orders have been issued for strict action against the jail guard involved and also for a transparent investigation of complete matter."
He further stated, "Our hospitals and health workers have been actively dedicated in service of people, especially during Corona crisis. The matter will be dealt with total seriousness and any violence or ill behavior against our health workers is totally intolerable."
The video of the ruckus at Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Raipur is very shocking and unacceptable. Orders have been issued for strict action against the jail guard involved and also for a transparent investigation of complete matter. (1/2)
— TS Singh Deo (@TS_SinghDeo) February 23, 2021
Our hospitals and health workers have been actively dedicated in service of people especially during Corona crisis. The matter will be dealt with total seriousness and any violence or ill behavior against our health workers is totally intolerable. (2/2)
— TS Singh Deo (@TS_SinghDeo) February 23, 2021

Finally, a case was registered against the accused, and Raipur's superintendent of police, (SP), Ajay Yadav stated that action has been taken after the incident on Monday. "We have booked the accused jail guard under section 186 and 353 IPC and other laws of Chhattisgarh government. The investigation is going on in the case," said Yadav.