Doctor assaults patient at Shimla hospital, inquiry ordered after video protest

The incident took place at the Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital (IGMC), the largest government-run healthcare institution in the hill state of Himachal Pradesh, and has triggered widespread concern over patient safety and professional conduct in public hospitals.

According to hospital authorities, the alleged assault occurred earlier this week inside one of the wards, where a patient had been resting after undergoing a medical procedure. A video of the confrontation, recorded by an accompanying person, was later shared widely on social media platforms, drawing strong public reaction.

In the footage, which has not been independently verified by the BBC, a doctor can be seen striking a man lying on a hospital bed. The patient appears to try to defend himself by kicking, while two other individuals attempt to separate them. Hospital officials confirmed that the patient sustained an injury to his nose during the altercation.

Rahul Rao, Medical Superintendent of Indira Gandhi Medical College, said disciplinary steps had been initiated against the accused doctor and that the hospital administration had ordered a formal inquiry. He added that a detailed report had been sought and further action would depend on its findings.

“The matter is being taken seriously,” Mr Rao said, confirming that a police complaint had been filed by the patient and that a First Information Report, the formal registration of a criminal case in India, had been lodged against the doctor.

Police officials in Shimla said they were examining video evidence and statements from those present at the time of the incident as part of their investigation.

Conflicting accounts of events

The patient, identified by local media as Arjun Panwar, said he had visited the hospital for diagnostic tests related to breathing problems. He told reporters that after undergoing a bronchoscopy, a procedure used to examine the airways, he was advised to rest and lay down on an unoccupied bed in another ward.

Mr Panwar alleged that the doctor later arrived and questioned his presence in the ward, speaking to him in a disrespectful manner. He claimed the situation escalated after he asked the doctor to speak politely.

“I had just undergone a bronchoscopy and was struggling to breathe,” he said. “When I asked for oxygen, the doctor questioned my admission status. I requested that he speak to me with respect, but he became confrontational.”

According to the patient, the argument intensified after the doctor used informal and dismissive language, which he objected to. He alleged that the doctor then physically assaulted him while he was still on the bed.

The accused doctor, however, has reportedly denied the allegations and claimed that the patient had behaved inappropriately, leading to the confrontation. Hospital officials said the doctor’s version of events would be examined as part of the inquiry process.

Public reaction and protests

The circulation of the video led to an immediate backlash, with hundreds of people, including patients, attendants and local residents, gathering outside the hospital to demand action. Protesters raised slogans and called for strict punishment, including the suspension of the doctor involved.

The demonstrations caused temporary disruption outside the hospital premises, though essential medical services continued to function. Police were deployed to maintain order as tensions rose.

Patient advocacy groups and civil society organisations have also expressed concern, saying the incident highlights deeper issues within India’s overstretched public healthcare system, including communication gaps between medical staff and patients.

IGMC hospital administration later announced the formation of a three-member inquiry committee to investigate the incident. Mr Rao said the committee had been asked to submit its findings within a short timeframe, after which disciplinary and legal decisions would be taken.

Context

Incidents of violence in hospitals in India have frequently drawn national attention, although such cases often involve attacks on doctors by patients or relatives. Allegations of doctors assaulting patients are comparatively rare but tend to provoke strong public outrage due to the position of trust medical professionals hold.

Public hospitals such as IGMC cater to large populations, often with limited resources and heavy patient loads. Experts say these pressures, combined with communication failures, can sometimes lead to confrontations, though they stress that violence of any kind is unacceptable.

The Himachal Pradesh government has not yet issued a detailed statement on the incident, but officials have indicated that the inquiry’s conclusions will guide further action.

For now, both the hospital administration and police say they are awaiting the outcome of the investigations, as the case continues to spark debate over accountability, patient rights and professional ethics in India’s healthcare system.