Court terms assault on docs for medical negligence by kin ‘heinous’

Throwing out the anticipatory bail plea of two relatives of a patient,who had died in the Sushruta Trauma Centre in the first week of October,Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Madhu Jain observed that the court must adopt a strict approach while adjudicating such cases wherein doctors unjustifiably face the fury of a patient’s kith and kin.

The court also took a grim view of the increase in such occurrences and noted that it should also not be overlooked that the assault on the doctors and the hospital staff in most of these cases were physical attacks on public servants,who must be protected under the laws to enable them to perform their duties diligently.

“These types of cases are on an increase,wherein the doctors in reputed government hospital are beaten up by the relatives and neighbours of patient on the ground that they are careless in their duties,” noted ASJ Jain.

Deciding not to grant any protection to the two accused in the case,the judge further said: “The applicants along with other co-accused persons beat up a government servant. Allegations are quite heinous. Seeing the gravity of offence,no ground for anticipatory bail is made out. Application is dismissed.”

The court also took note of the statements made by some of the doctors before the court that they were badly beaten by the patient’s family members and relatives.

Dr Satyender Kumar was dragged outside the hospital and beaten by the family members and relatives of the patient,according to doctors.

ASJ Jain observed that the doctors’ statements displayed the gravity of the assault on the public servants and hence there was no ground for the court to give any relief to the applicants.

The impugned incident occurred on October 4 when one Teetu died in the Trauma Centre. Teetu had multiple injuries and was rushed to the centre two days ago from Bulandshahar in UP.

After his death,his family and friends alleged negligence by the doctors and created a ruckus in the hospital. At least four doctors were injured,theylater lodged an FIR into the incident. The FIR at Civil Lines police station pertained to hurting and assaulting a public servant,besides damaging public property.

Two of the accused,Karan and Raj Pal had approached the court seeking anticipatory bail. They claimed that the FIR was registered against them after they sought to lodge a complaint against the hospital for being negligent and reckless in treating their patient,ultimately resulting in his death.