VELLORE: A patient and her visitor were arrested from Government Vellore Medical College and Hospital on Monday on charges of assaulting a doctor. The arrested were identified as Subha (36) of Sathumadurai in Vellore and her relative Diwakar (35), from Mallavadi village in Tiruvannamalai.
According to the complaint lodged by Dr Vishal, Subha was admitted for a urinary tract infection in the in-patient care since February 27. Diwakar used to visit her and also attended to the patient on Monday. The incident happened when Diwakar was found lying on the patient’s bed in the women’s ward.
Dr Vishal, who noticed this, asked him to vacate the bed. However, Diwakar refused which led to a verbal altercation. The argument escalated into a physical confrontation involving Diwakar, Subha and the doctor, said police. A video of the incident, which was circulated on social media, showed the Diwakar assaulting the doctor and Subha joined in the attack, and the doctor retaliating.
Police arrested both Diwakar and Subha under IPC sections 294(b), 323, 353, 506 (1), and Section 3 of the TN Medicare Service Persons and Medicare Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage or Loss to Property) Act, 2008.
Diwakar has been placed in remand, while Subha is currently undergoing treatment. She will be remanded once her treatment is complete, police said. Hospital dean S Pappathi said that an inquiry is being conducted internally.
Meanwhile, the UG and PG MBBS students staged a demonstration on Monday raising concerns over doctors’ safety.