The CCTV footage of the incident was circulated on social media.
The protest called by the doctors of JJ Hospital in Mumbai over the alleged assault of their colleagues by a patient's relatives entered its third day. Several doctors of the city's Sion Hospital also joined them today to demand immediate action against the attackers and adequate arrangements at hospitals to ensure safety of the staff. "We'll continue our protest till our demands are accepted by the government, but no emergency services will be impacted," the doctors assured.
The doctors have been demanding security personnel in every ward after two resident doctors, including a woman, were allegedly beaten up by the relatives of a patient who died during treatment.
Zaida Sanaullah Sheikh, 45, was being treated for a gall bladder ailment. On Saturday, when the woman stopped responding to treatment and died, her family alleged negligence, and thrashed Dr Atish Parikh and a woman doctor, police said.
They also allegedly damaged hospital property and assaulted a nurse and a few others in the ward. The CCTV footage of the incident was circulated on social media. In the video, at least two men can be seen raining blows on on the medical staff. When others tried to intervene, they, too, were beaten up.
As soon as the police personnel inside the hospital wetre informed, the attackers were taken into custody. But the doctors demanding a permanent solution to the problem went on an indefinite strike.
"Both doctors and a policeman were injured in the incident. Four people have been arrested, the fifth accused is missing. We have registered a case," a police officer said.
The Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) alleged that despite repeated requests over the years, there was no adequate security at the hospitals in the state.
"There have been several instances in the past when the the attendants of patients attacked doctors and hospital staff. We understand their pain in that moment of crisis. But they cannot take law in their hands," a doctor said.
Dr Sarang Donarkar, the association's chief, wrote to the Dean of JJ Hospital, alleging that the number of security personnel has been reduced to half since their deployment after a similar incident last year. The doctors are asking for security personnel in wards and immediate installation of the alarm system to alert them.
Last year, over 3,000 doctors in Maharashtra went on strike for five days after more than two incidents of attacks on doctors by families of patients were reported. In a symbolic protest, doctors at Delhi's AIIMS's emergency department wore helmets in solidarity with their striking counterparts in Maharashtra.