According to sources, the incident took place when two women resident doctors tried to take the case history of a patient who was admitted due to poisoning. The patient’s relatives became agitated and asked the doctors to begin treatment. Meanwhile, another doctor Ravikumar Chaudhary also intervened to diffuse the situation.

After the resident doctors asked the patient’s relatives to stop filming the incident in the emergency ward, a heated argument ensued that subsequently led to the kin attacking Dr Chaudhary and verbally abusing the women doctors, said the FIR.

According to the FIR filed at Maninagar police station by PG resident doctor Dr Ravikumar Chaudhary, “the two men who had arrived with the patient argued with the resident doctors” and even “manhandled” him and got hold of his neck. After the guards removed them from the ward, the two men returned again and thrashed the doctors, said the FIR.

Police identified the two accused as Achal Ketan Choksi and Purvang Ganpat Kathiriya. They have been booked under Sections 121(1) (voluntarily causing grievous hurt to deter public servant from his duty), 224 ( whoever holds out any threat of injury to any public servant) and section 54 (abettor present when offence is committed) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Maninagar inspector DP Unadkat said, “Accused Purvang Karhiriya’s father had consumed some toxic substance after an altercation at their house, after which he was rushed to the hospital.”

“At the hospital itself, the two accused were involved in an altercation with the doctors. The accused were booked and arrested on Sunday. They were presented before a court on Monday where they were given bail. Further investigation is underway,” said Unadkat.

In protest against the incident, the junior doctors withdrew from emergency services even as many of them were already on strike for the third consecutive day to agitate against the doctor’s rape and murder in West Bengal. The junior doctors went back to work after hospital superintendent, Dr Leena Dabhi, intervened. A committee member of the JDA at LG Hospital told The Indian Express, “Apart from increased security in the hospital, we have asked for the permanent setting up of a police chowki inside the hospital premises to deter attacks of doctors.”

Meanwhile, Dr Dabhi said, “We have received the JDA’s representation seeking a police chowki and will bring it to the attention of the AMC Medical Education Trust (AMCMET) for further action.”

Notably, while all hospitals have a police table on their premises, the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital has a police chowki.