Relatives allege negligence over decomposed body; doctors strike work demanding security
Incident at Sir Sayajirao General Hospital Triggers Violence
In a shocking incident from Vadodara, twelve persons have been arrested for allegedly assaulting doctors and staff at the postmortem department of Sir Sayajirao (SSG) Hospital. The violence erupted after family members of a deceased woman discovered her body in a severely decomposed condition.
Arrests and Legal Action
According to police, those arrested include the deceased woman’s two sons and four female relatives. The accused have been booked for assaulting government officials on duty and under the Gujarat Medicare Service Persons and Medicare Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage or Loss to Property) Act, 2012.
The case was registered at Raopura Police Station based on a complaint filed by a medico-legal officer who was among those attacked.
Police Inspector DJ Patel confirmed that three accused were arrested on Wednesday night, while the remaining—including four women—were detained on Thursday. The court granted one-day police custody to three male accused, while no remand was sought for the women.
What Led to the Clash?
The incident occurred around 8:30 am when the family arrived at the hospital morgue to claim the body. The deceased had passed away on April 27, and the body was preserved in cold storage as one of her sons was travelling from the United States for the last rites.
Tensions escalated after the family found the body in a “severely decomposed” state. According to the FIR, an angry group allegedly dragged a woman doctor from the morgue to the medico-legal officer’s office, verbally abused her, and physically assaulted staff members. A senior resident doctor was also attacked, and his shirt was reportedly torn during the scuffle.
Family Alleges Negligence
Relatives of the deceased have accused hospital authorities of negligence, claiming they were not given a satisfactory explanation for the condition of the body. They also alleged that the body had been moved from its original storage chamber without informing them and that staff behaved in a “rude and dismissive” manner.
Hospital Responds: “Technical Fault” Possible
Medical Superintendent Dr Ranjan Aiyer stated that a “technical fault” may have led to the unfortunate decomposition of the body. He strongly condemned the attack on healthcare workers and called for strict action against those involved.
Doctors Go on Strike
The incident has sparked outrage within the medical community. Resident doctors at SSG Hospital went on strike, withdrawing non-emergency services on Thursday. They have demanded enhanced security measures and accountability to prevent such incidents in the future.
Rising Concerns Over Safety of Healthcare Workers
The attack has once again highlighted the growing concern over violence against medical professionals in India. Healthcare workers have repeatedly called for stricter enforcement of laws and better protection within hospital premises.
