Ludhiana, July 13: Leading bariatric surgeon Dr Gurdip Singh Sidhu was allegedly beaten up and other staff members assaulted in a violence as mob fury erupted at Sidhu Hospital, Doraha, last evening. The incident occured following the death of a patient, a BJP leader, who had undergone weight-loss surgery a day before.
Over 100 people, who were allegedly instigated by a few BJP leaders, went on the rampage ransacking the hospital and it was only after a few hours of commotion that order prevailed at the hospital. Khanna police said Jagat Bhushan Johar had undergone surgery on June 10 and died on June 11 in the evening.
Gurpartap Singh, Station House officer, Payal police station, said Dr Gurdip had been booked after Bharat Bhushan Johar, kin of the deceased, lodged a complaint against the doctor.
Meanwhile, expressing solidarity with Dr Gurdip, various organisations of medical fraternity including the Indian Medical Association, DMC Teachers’ Association, Nursing Homes’ Association of Punjab have condemned the attack.
Raising objections to the role of the police, the Indian Medical Association strongly condemned the incident in an emergency press conference held here today stating that the police had registered a case against Dr Gurdip against the Supreme Court ruling which states that a doctor can only be booked under a criminal case after the approval of a medical board which proves the negligence of the doctor.
The doctors, who gathered at IMA House in BRS Nagar today, said they had asked the police to withdraw the case against the doctor booked under Sections 304/34 and punish people who headed and instigated the mob.
They rued that the Khanna police had not yet registered any FIR against the persons who damaged the hospital property which is punishable under the Punjab Medical Professionals’ Protection Act.
It is also pertinent to mention here that in the wake of increasing cases of assault against doctors, the Punjab Government had enacted the Punjab Medical Professionals Protection Act in September last year, becoming the third state in the country to do so.
“The mob beat up the hospital staff, manhandled the women members of the staff and assaulted Dr Gurdip who had undergone a spinal surgery two months ago. He is now admitted in the DMCH,” said Dr Ravinder Singh Sidhu, brother of Dr Gurdip Singh Sidhu.
He alleged the mob instigated by Amit Gosain and other BJP leaders broke the hospital furniture, computers and expensive medical equipment amounting to Rs 20 lakh. “The five to six police personnel who were present there, however, stood there as mute spectators,” he added.
When asked, Amit Gosain said he was present there but was only trying to control the angry mob. “I was only cooperating with the police and was trying to pacify the mob. The doctor’s action had incited the mob which was not in my control.”
Dr Ravinder, however, said the police had still not registered any FIR on their complaint but had instead booked Dr Gurdip on charges of causing death due to negligence. “We serve the patients and strive to save them.
We are not running hospital to cause death to our patients,” he added.
When asked, Amit Gosain said he was present there but was only trying to control the angry mob. “I was only cooperating with the police and was trying to pacify the mob. The doctor’s action had incited the mob which was not in my control.”
Dr Ravinder, however, said the police had still not registered any FIR on their complaint but had instead booked Dr Gurdip on charges of causing death due to negligence. “We serve the patients and strive to save them. We are not running hospital to cause death to our patients,” he added.
IMA state president Dr Yash Sharma said they had asked the police to withdraw the case against Dr Sidhu since it was totally against the apex court’s February 2009 judgment.
“We are now contemplating what action to take as the case had highlighted that there was still lack of awareness of this particular ruling and the Act. In this case, the police officer who registered the case also stands to get punishment since it is a case of contempt of the Supreme Court and we are also going to file a case in this regard,” he said.
On the other hand, SHO Gurpartap said he was not aware of it (The ruling which provided shield to the doctors). “We are following the matter and will take any further steps as per our findings,” he said.
Dr Arindam Ghosh, who was also present in the press conference, said patients who had morbid obesity carry a high risk during surgery. “There is a mortality risk of 0.5 per cent to 10 per cent in some patients and since the patient is known to have complication like cardiac problem, high blood pressure and diabetes, the risks become high.
” He added that in some cases, the bariatric surgery was not just a cosmetic surgery but a life-saving surgery which increased life as the person carries high risk of succumbing to it.
Dr Gursaran Sindhu who is Dr Ravinder Singh Sidhu’s wife and member of hospital staff said the patient died of pulmonary embolism and heart failure which can occur in such patients who are morbidly obese. She also alleged that she was also manhandled by the mob while the other women staff locked themselves up in the bathroom to avoid being assaulted.
“They hurled abuses at me and other doctors and used such a filthy language that I cannot repeat. They were, however, flaunting their political connection with Deputy Speaker Satpal Gosain,” she said.
–Agencies