Following Sayeed’s death, clashes broke out between the junior doctors and the relatives of the patient, leaving one doctor critically injured. Soon after the violence, junior doctors at the hospital initiated cease-work which got support from doctors in 13 state-run hospitals across the state.
As the doctors’ protest entered the fifth day Saturday, the family of Mohammad Sayeed (75), whose death triggered the violence at NRS, alleged that though some of his neighbours were arrested after the incident, no action has been taken against the medicos who allegedly assaulted them. They also alleged that attempts are on to add a “communal twist” to the incident.
“We lost a family member. The doctors also beat us up and the CCTV footage will prove it. Every citizen should have equal access to justice. Five of our neighbours were arrested and are now in jail. What about the doctors? Let the guilty be punished, be it our neighbours or the doctors. We are also aggrieved at the injury of the doctor who might have been hit by a stone. We pray for his speedy recovery. But the strike needs to be lifted too. Thousands of patients are suffering,” said Taiyab Hussain, grandson of Sayeed, sitting in their travel agency office in Tangra’s Bibi Bagan Lane.
Following Sayeed’s death, clashes broke out between the junior doctors and the relatives of the patient, leaving one doctor critically injured. Soon after the violence, junior doctors at the hospital initiated cease-work which got support from doctors in 13 state-run hospitals across the state. Five persons were arrested in connection with the violence. The family members of Sayeed also lodged a complaint against three doctors of NRS hospital. The Indian Express met the family of the deceased on Saturday to get their side of the incident.
“The CCTV footage will show it all. The doctors attacked us and some of us were beaten up too. The clash was not a one-sided one. We lost a family member and one of us got emotional. One of us might have pulled a hand of a doctor urging him to see the patient. They took it as misbehaviour and heckling. I apologised twice, once in presence of the policemen. But the doctors refused to accept our apology. They did not allow us to take the body of my grandfather out of the hospital. They armed themselves with hockey sticks and bamboo poles. The policemen were present there when all of these happened,” said Taiyab.
