BERHAMPUR: A man, whose wife was admitted to the MKCG Medical College and Hospital here for childbirth, assaulted doctors and bit off the ear of one after he was refused entry into the labour room on Sunday. The accused Tarini Mohapatra has been arrested.
Mohapatra had admitted his pregnant wife to the gynaecology ward of the MCH on Saturday. On Sunday morning, when she was taken to the labour room for preparation for delivery, he and other relatives sought to enter the room.
As they were stopped by the doctors, Mohapatra attacked them and bit the ear of Dr Sakil Khan. A profusely bleeding Dr Khan was immediately rushed for treatment. His colleague Dr Smruti Ranjan Patnaik, who was also on duty in the ward, lodged a complaint with Baidyanathpur police stating Mohapatra forcibly entered the O&G department even though his relatives were already inside.
“When I told them to stay out and refrain from crowding the area as per Covid-19 guidelines, Mohapatra attacked us with fist blows. Hearing the commotion, some of my colleagues including Dr Khan arrived at the spot. However, the accused used expletives and assaulted us besides threatening to kill us,” he said.
Apart from biting off Dr Khan’s ear, the accused also broke spectacles of other doctors. On being informed, police reached the spot and took the accused into custody.
However, Mohapatra refuted the allegations and said the doctors attacked him first when he requested them to attend to his wife. He also denied to have bitten off Dr Khan’s ear and said the injury might have occurred in the scuffle.
After the incident, Mohapatra’s relatives shifted his wife to a private clinic in the city. MKCG authorities condemned the incident and urged the administration to enhance the security of doctors. Indian Medical Association, PG Doctors’ Union and Junior Doctors’ Association also expressed concern over the attack.
Berhampur SP Pinak Mishra met the victim doctors and said immediate action has been taken against Mohapatra. Proposal to book the accused under NSA will also be submitted, the SP added.