Two doctors attacked, Maharashtra doctors' association goes on strike

Yavatmal: After two resident doctors were allegedly stabbed by a patient in Shri Vasantrao Naik Government Medical College and Hospital in Maharashtra's Yavatmal, all emergency and non-emergency services were halted on Friday.

Maharashtra Doctors Association in protesting and urging the police to take action. They demanded that the government establish a police station in the area to prevent such incidents in the future.

"In view of the protest, residents of SVNGMC Yavatmal will stop all emergency and non-emergency services with effect from tomorrow. We urge you to take immediate appropriate action regarding this incident," said a letter written to state home minister Devendra Fadnavis by Indian Medical Association, Junior Doctors Network.

The patient reportedly stabbed a first-year resident of general surgery in the neck, just above the neck. He was injured critically. Another resident, who came to his colleague's rescue, was also attacked and is undergoing an operation. "The medical fraternity today witnessed another incident of violence against doctors. On January 5, during the evening rounds at 7:30 pm in SVNGMC Yavatmal, a patient assaults and stabs a first-year resident of General Surgery with a knife on the neck just above the back and injures him critically. Two surgery residents are injured, out of which one is severely injured and the other is undergoing an operation," said the letter.

The association further said: "We at Indian Medical Association (IMA) Junior Doctors Network (JDN) Maharashtra stand together against this act and strongly condemn it by protesting against it. We demand an establishment of police chowki in the area to stop such incidents in the future and a strong legal action against the offenders."

The police said the attacker Suraj Thakur was mentally unstable and stabbed himself two days ago. He was arrested on Thursday night, Superintendent of police (SP) Pawan Bansod told ANI.