BENGALURU: A video circulated on social media has prompted directions to the Hubli-Dharwad police to act against an MLA who allegedly slapped a doctor.
Upa Lokayukta Justice Subhash B Adi on Tuesday directed the police to furnish an action-taken report on the alleged assault by Dharwad South MLA Vinay Kulkarni.
Kulkarni and his supporters allegedly raided the Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences Hospital in Hubballi and roughed up a paediatrician after the death of a child. Adi’s directions came on Tuesday after he received a video on WhatsApp purportedly capturing the incident.
“Kulkarni appears to be assaulting the doctor in front of other doctors. It also appears that Kulkarni went with several of his supporters and created a scene inside the hospital,” he said.
Adi had called the Hubli-Dharwad police over the phone at 12 noon on Tuesday and sought an explanation. Since he got no reply by 5 pm, he shot off a letter.Adi said the station house officer should have registered a case under the Criminal Procedure Code.
“Failure on the part of the police officer would be a serious matter and warrants action. Being head of the police of the jurisdiction, you should furnish an action-taken report by March 11,” the letter says.
Adi has sought to know if any action was taken at all against Kulkarni, and if not, why he was let off the hook.
He has also written to the Superintendent of Police, Dharwad.
What Law Says
A law in Karnataka provides for stringent punishment for those who assault medical personnel and damage hospitals.
The Karnataka Prohibition of Violence against Medicare Service Personnel Act of 2009 empowers the state to punish offenders with imprisonment for up to three years.
They could also face a penalty of up to Rs 50,000.