A doctor in Wardha, Maharashtra, was slapped by an accused during a medical examination, and the assault was captured on CCTV. Dr Shraddha Bhumre was conducting a physical check-up of the accused, Qadir Ali, at a primary health centre when he slapped her, even as police personnel were present nearby.
The video of the assault is causing outrage among doctors in Maharashtra, who are demanding more security in hospitals and have warned that they will close OPD services if their safety is not ensured. What exactly triggered the slap was not immediately clear from the reports.
How Did the CCTV Incident Spark Doctors' Anger in Maharashtra?
The footage has drawn widespread attention, with doctors and social media users expressing concern over the safety of medical staff while treating accused persons. Government doctors say the incident has renewed their fear for their own safety during medical examinations, even in cases where police personnel accompany the persons brought to hospitals.
For many doctors, the worrying part is that the assault happened during a routine examination and in the presence of police, which they say shows how exposed medical staff are while doing custody related check-ups.
What Are Maharashtra Doctors Demanding?
Doctors have appealed for increased security at hospitals across Maharashtra. Their warning of discontinuing OPD services reflects growing frustration with the situation and underlines that many doctors feel insecure while doing their job.
The demand is not limited to this one centre. Doctors say staff at government facilities routinely examine accused persons and patients brought in by police, and that such examinations cannot be done safely without proper security arrangements in place.
How Did Social Media React to the Doctor Assault?
The incident prompted strong reactions online, with many users demanding harsh punishment for the accused and others questioning how such an assault could happen with police around. "We stand with doctor," one user wrote in support of Dr Bhumre.
Another person, recalling their own posting at a government hospital, said custody cases would come for medical fitness examinations and that they would feel scared each time despite the police accompanying them, an experience they said still gives them nightmares. Others questioned whether doctors can trust police protection inside a hospital at all, while the husband of a government doctor wrote that such an attack on a doctor on duty was unacceptable.
