Junior doctor assaulted at Nagpur's Mayo Hospital casualty; cross FIRs filed

Nagpur: A dispute over treatment in the casualty ward of Mayo Hospital in Nagpur turned violent, with a junior doctor allegedly assaulted by a patient's relatives. The incident has raised questions about the safety of doctors in hospitals.

The dispute began over the treatment of a patient's severed finger. It was between the patient's family and the junior doctor on duty, and it escalated into a physical fight. It is alleged that a father and son pushed the doctor onto a bed and attacked him, scratching his chest with their nails. The incident caused commotion in the hospital premises.

The complainant, Dr Sameer Vijay Chandekar, is a first-year junior resident doctor in General Surgery Department-3 at Mayo Hospital. On November 4, at 3.15 pm, Ranjeet Jadhav brought his son Vedant Jadhav to the hospital. After a preliminary examination by the casualty medical officer, both were sent to Dr Chandekar. Ranjeet Jadhav said his son's finger had been cut in two parts and was bleeding heavily. He said he had also brought the other part of the finger. When the doctor asked to see it, the family showed a nail and a piece of flesh. They said the finger had been bandaged after first aid at the Mankapur primary health centre.

According to Dr Chandekar, he saw no blood on the bandage during the examination. He was then going towards the nursing counter to have an X-ray slip made out when a serious patient arrived and he had to go at once to attend to that patient. It is alleged that Ranjeet Jadhav flew into a rage when the doctor left. He allegedly grabbed and pulled the doctor and threw him onto a bed. Vedant Jadhav also allegedly pushed and shoved him. The two allegedly abused the doctor and attacked him, scratching his chest with their nails.

The complaint alleges that Ranjeet Jadhav claimed to be connected with the police department and threatened to "see" the doctor. The incident, which took place while the doctor was on duty, has heightened concern over the safety of doctors and medical staff at the hospital.

The matter reached Tehsil police station, and police have acted under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The case took a new turn when both sides lodged complaints against each other, and police registered cross FIRs.