Kerala Man Tries To Assault Doctor Who Came To Treat Him, Arrested: Cops

Days after the gruesome murder of a woman doctor by a patient at a hospital in Kerala, a man turned violent and allegedly tried to attack a male doctor at a state-run medical college in Kochi, police said today.

Twenty four-year old Doyal, a native of Vattekunnam in nearby Edapally, was arrested late on Monday night following the incident, they said.

The accused sought treatment at the government medical college after he suffered injuries in a road accident last night.

According to hospital staff, he behaved in a strange manner from the time he came into the premises. He tried to manhandle the doctor who came to treat him.

In a purported video, which has gone viral on social media platforms this morning, Doyal could be seen arguing and threatening the doctor and other hospital staff.

Some others, who accompanied him, could be seen trying to pacify him, but he continued to behave in a rude manner with the healthcare workers.

Later, the man was subdued by the security personnel of the hospital and the Kalamassery police were alerted.

Before he was shifted to the police vehicle, the man could be seen apparently threatening the doctor saying he remembers his face clearly, as shown in the video.

A senior police officer told PTI that various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Hospital Protection Act were slapped on the accused.

"His arrest was recorded under IPC Sections 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty), 294 (b) (use abusive words) and 506 (criminal intimidation) besides the sections of the Hospital Protection Act. He will be produced before court today," the officer said.

In another incident, a man has been arrested for allegedly verbally abusing doctors and healthcare workers at the general hospital in Thiruvananthapuram.

The man was taken to the state-run hospital on Monday night for treating his injuries.

There, he insulted the healthcare workers and verbally abused them for the alleged pain he suffered while his wound was being dressed, police said.

He was arrested soon after and a case was registered against him, they added.

State Health Minister Veena George strongly condemned both the incidents and warned of stringent action against those who attack healthcare professionals.

All measures are being taken to counter the attacks against healthcare workers by plugging loopholes in the existing law, she said in a statement here.

Ms George also urged the public to ensure a shield of protection to the fraternity.

The attacks come just days after a woman doctor was brutally stabbed to death by a patient she was attending to at a hospital in Kollam district.

Dr Vandana Das, a native of Kaduthuruthy area of Kottayam district and a house surgeon at Azeezia Medical College Hospital, was working at the Kottarakkara taluk hospital as part of her training. She was stabbed several times, and later succumbed to her injuries on May 10.

Following the attack on her, protests erupted in various hospitals across the state with healthcare professionals, medical interns, students and house surgeons taking to the streets.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)