BIDAR: A duty doctor, Dr Tukaram Machindra, was brutally beaten up late on Thursday night over a medical legal certificate (MLC) issue at Bidar Institute Medical Science (BRIMS) Hospital.
Vijay Singh Tukaram from Benakanalli village of this taluk, who was injured in an accident, was admitted to the hospital. Around this time, Vijay’s relatives arrived and attacked the doctor over the MLC issue.
They also threatened that he should be treated properly, and that if anything goes wrong, he will not let him live. BRIMS staff immediately arrived and brought the riot under control.
A case has been registered at the New Town Police Station against Aditya Tajalapura, Vinod Chambol, Govind Benakanalli, Anil Benakanalli, Mahadev Benakanalli, Balaji Tajalapura, Pawan Chambol and others, based on the complaint filed by Dr Tukaram. All seven have been arrested.
Junior doctors and medical students of BRIMS staged a protest on Friday, condemning the attack on a doctor in front of the BRIMS, and demanded strict action to protect the doctors.
BRIMS Director Dr Shanthala Kouzalagi, who arrived at the scene, said that attacks on doctors will not be tolerated under any circumstances. A request will be made to the Deputy Commissioner and the District Superintendent of Police to provide more security to BRIMS. She assured that action will be taken to prevent such incidents in the future.
Member of Parliament (MP) from the Bidar Lok Sabha constituency, Sagar Khandre, has strongly condemned the brutal assault on a duty doctor at the district’s prestigious BRIMS Government Hospital.
Expressing his deep concern, the MP stated that it is highly shocking and inhuman to take the law into one’s own hands and mercilessly assault doctors over a minor issue. He emphasised that such violence against doctors, who work day and night to protect public health, cannot be tolerated under any circumstances.
“The police department has already taken five individuals into custody. I have strictly instructed the police to take stringent legal action against every member of the group involved in assaulting the doctors and creating an atmosphere of fear inside the hospital,” MP Khandre said.
Senior doc Dinesh Bhatkal shoots self dead
Belagavi: Dr Dinesh Bhatkal (79), a well-known doctor originally from Ankola taluk in Uttara Kannada district, died by suicide at his residence in Belagavi on Friday.
Dr Bhatkal had spent several decades serving in various hospitals of KLE Society in Belagavi and Ankola and was widely respected for his simple lifestyle, friendly nature, and charitable service. He allegedly shot himself on the balcony of his house.
Family members and nearby residents rushed to the spot after hearing the gunshot, but he had already succumbed to his injuries. According to DCP Narayan Barmani, for the past two years, Dr Bhatkal had been battling lung cancer and was reportedly suffering from mental distress for some time.
Police suspect that these circumstances may have led him to take the extreme step. However, the exact reason behind the incident will be confirmed only after a detailed investigation. Police have registered a case.