Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Nov 13: In a chilling reminder of the rape and murder of a junior doctor in the government-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata in August that raised the question of security of the medical professionals, a doctor on Wednesday was stabbed seven times in a government hospital in Chennai by a young man merely on suspicion that the doctor had prescribed wrong medicines to his mother, a cancer patient.
Almost like the Kolkata hospital case, the 25-year old attacker who was arrested and identified as Vignesh, was also a patient attender at that hospital.
The doctor, Dr Balaji Jagannath, an oncologist and a teacher at the state-run Kalaignar Centenary Super Speciality Hospital. The doctor had been treating the attacker’s mother, a cancer patient. The attacker reportedly suspected that the doctor had prescribed wrong medication to this mother.
Dr Jagannath is also a heart patient and suffered injuries to his upper chest and head. He is in critical but stable condition, the Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma Subramanian said. A senior doctor said his colleague has a pacemaker and was cut on his forehead and back, and was also hit on his stomach.
The attack took place in the outpatient department (OPD) of the Kalaignar Centenary Hospital in the city’s Guindy neighbourhood. The man tried to escape after stabbing the doctor but was caught by the security staff at the exit gate and handed over to the police. The attacker used a small knife hidden on his person, the Health Minister said.
A video that emerged hours after the attack shows the accused, Vignesh, walking away after he stabbed the doctor. In the video, the attacker is seen walking as he fishes out the knife used in the attack from his pocket. After what appears to be an attempt to wipe the blood off the blade, he throws the knife into the shaft area and keeps walking.
The man recording the video is heard saying, “Catch him at least now.” The accused says, “what if your mother or father were in trouble.” Amid the commotion and cries of “he cut him up,” the guards hold the accused. As the mob becomes violent and starts hitting him, a woman intervenes and stops them. He was later handed over to the police.
According to the police, the suspect, identified as Vignesh of Perungalathur, got an outpatient patient entry pass and entered the Department of Oncology where Dr Jagannath was on duty at around 10:30 a.m. The suspect was accompanied by a few others, sources said.
They reportedly got into a heated argument with the doctor over the treatment given to Vignesh’s mother Prema, who is suffering from cancer. They held the doctor responsible for her critical condition. Vignesh, in a fit of rage, allegedly whipped out a knife and slashed the doctor’s neck. Onlookers immediately came to his rescue and rushed him to the ICU.
Private security personnel guard the insides of the hospital, while the police guard the outer premises. L. Parthasarathy, director of KCSSH, told reporters that the injured doctor, an associate professor of Medical Oncology, was attacked inside his outpatient department room. He sustained injuries in seven places, including on his neck, behind the ear, forehead, back, and head. “There was a lot of blood loss. He is already a cardiac patient and had undergone surgery. As he is on an anticoagulant, there was excessive bleeding,” Mr Parthasarathy said.
“We immediately rushed him to the operation theatre and a team of surgeons from Cardiothoracic, Vascular and Neuro Surgery departments resuscitated and operated on him. He is haemodynamically stable,” he added.
The doctors in the government hospitals across the state went on a flash strike, except emergency and life-saving services, following the incident and have threatened to continue the agitation infinitely till the safety of the doctors was assured. The Tamil Nadu Government Doctors Association withdrew all medical services from Wednesday across all government medical college hospitals, districts government hospitals, and primary health centres. Association president K. Senthil said the agitation would continue till further notice. “We already made representations to increase safety on hospitals campuses. This time, we are taking up the issue very seriously and will not withdraw our agitation unless concrete action is taken,” he said.
In a post on social media platform X on Wednesday, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin termed the incident “shocking” and said the suspect was “immediately arrested.” “I have ordered to give necessary treatment to the doctor and to conduct a detailed inquiry into the incident,” the CM said. “The selfless work of our government doctors is immeasurable… It is our duty to ensure their safety during this work,” he further said, adding that the State government would take measures to prevent such incidents from happening in the future.
Following the incident, Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin and Health Minister Ma. Subramanian visited the hospital. The Service Doctors and Post Graduates Association (SDPGA) condemned the brutal assault on the oncologist and demanded that the government punish the culprits. The SDPGA has decided to stage a flash strike to stop all services, except emergencies, at KCSSH.
The Tamil Nadu Medical Officers Association demanded that those involved in the attack be booked under provisions of the Tamil Nadu Medicare Service Persons and Medicare Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage or Loss to Property) Act, 2008.
The attack has also triggered criticism from the opposition. The BJP leader and former Telangana governor Tamilisai Soundararajan slammed the state government. “I want to condemn the Tamil Nadu government because there is no protection for anybody… even in the schools such incidents are happening. The police force is under the control of the Chief Minister… but he did not come (to the hospital to see the injured doctor). Only the Deputy Chief Minister came.”
The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam has demanded the Health Minister’s resignation. Dr Vijayabaskar, who was earlier in that post, said the ruling party had shown itself incapable of ensuring the safety of doctors even in the heart of Chennai. “It is a planned attack…” he declared.
“Doctors feel insecure. The attack was a security lapse and indicates lack of fear of the law… security should tightened. CCTCs have been set up but I don’t think they function,” Dr Anto Uresh, a member of the Tamil Nadu Government Doctors’ Association, said.
Condemning the incident, Indian Medical Association (IMA) said that no amount of superficial damage control exercises by governments is going to make doctors work without fear in this country. “Strong deterrent legislation, exemplary punishments and proactive safety measures are required now and here. All Governments have been put on notice with this heinous crime. The medical profession of the country is deeply disturbed and is skeptical of the remedial measures on this ever-recurring violence. Only a comprehensive overhaul of the security atmosphere in the hospitals could restore the confidence of doctors. The nation owes this to its doctors,” read a letter by the IMA.
The Chennai attack refocuses the spotlight on the safety of healthcare workers at their workplace, an issue that rocketed to national attention after the rape and murder of the 31-year old junior doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Hospital. One accused – Sanjay Roy – has been arrested for that crime.