Intoxicated Youths Allegedly Attack PG Doctor Over Medico-Legal Case Registration, Triggering Protests by Medical Fraternity
A resident doctor on duty at the Bidar Institute of Medical Sciences (BRIMS) Hospital in Karnataka was allegedly assaulted by a group of intoxicated youths in the early hours of Friday after registering a Medico-Legal Case (MLC) for an injured patient. The incident has sparked outrage among the medical fraternity, with doctors and medical students staging protests demanding enhanced security measures in government hospitals.
According to police, seven accused have been arrested in connection with the assault, and an investigation is underway.
The incident reportedly took place around 1:00 a.m. when a youth from Benakanalli village, who had sustained injuries after falling from his motorcycle, was brought to BRIMS Hospital for treatment. Hospital sources stated that the patient allegedly insisted on receiving medical treatment without the registration of a Medico-Legal Case.
A 28-year-old first-year postgraduate resident doctor, who was on emergency duty at the time, said he provided primary treatment to the patient before referring him for a scan. However, a group of men, allegedly under the influence of alcohol, confronted and assaulted him for initiating the MLC process.
Speaking to TOI, the doctor said, “A group of young men who were under the influence of alcohol attacked me, asking, ‘Why did I do MLC?’ Other staff present at the hospital came to help me, but they pushed them and assaulted me.”
The resident doctor sustained multiple injuries in the attack and is currently undergoing treatment in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU) at BRIMS Hospital. His condition is reported to be stable.
Following the incident, the New Town Police registered a case and swiftly arrested all seven accused. Authorities are continuing their investigation to establish the complete sequence of events.
The assault drew widespread condemnation from doctors, resident doctors, and medical students, who organised a protest outside BRIMS Hospital on Friday. The protesters demanded increased deployment of security personnel, stricter enforcement of laws against violence in hospitals, and stronger measures to protect healthcare professionals while on duty.
The incident has once again raised serious concerns over the increasing number of attacks on doctors and healthcare workers across the country. It also underscores the urgent need for robust security infrastructure and stricter legal action to ensure a safe working environment for medical professionals in government healthcare institutions.
The incident comes amid growing concerns over violence against healthcare workers. Recently, another case surfaced from Ashta Civil Hospital in Madhya Pradesh’s Sehore district, where an emergency duty doctor was allegedly slapped and threatened with death inside his cabin after refusing to dispense medicines in violation of hospital protocol.
