Haryana Doctors Go on Statewide Strike After Alleged Assault on Medical Officer

The strike resulted in the suspension of outpatient department (OPD) services in government hospitals throughout Haryana. While the association initially limited the protest to Karnal district, it later expanded the agitation statewide due to what doctors described as insufficient action against the accused police personnel.

Doctors gathered at several government hospitals, including the Civil Hospital Sector 6, where medical professionals staged demonstrations demanding justice for their colleague. However, emergency services were partially restored in Karnal to ensure that critical patients continued to receive treatment.

The controversy began on the night of Holi at the Gharounda Community Health Centre. According to reports, Dr. Prashant Chauhan, the medical officer on duty, had called the police for help after a group of patients allegedly began threatening hospital staff.

However, when the station house officer (SHO) of Gharounda Police Station, identified as Deepak Kumar, arrived at the scene, he allegedly assaulted Dr. Chauhan instead of assisting him. The officer is also accused of detaining the doctor at the police station for some time, further angering the medical community.

Following the incident, the Haryana Civil Medical Services Association called for the immediate registration of an FIR and arrest of the SHO along with four other police personnel involved in the alleged assault.

Although Karnal Superintendent of Police Narendra Bijarniya suspended the SHO in an attempt to calm the situation, the association said the move was not sufficient, insisting that criminal proceedings must be initiated against the accused.

Doctors pointed out that such actions violate the Haryana Protection of Medical Service Persons and Medical Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage to Property) Act. Under this law, violence against healthcare workers is considered a cognizable and non-bailable offence, punishable by strict legal action.

Medical professionals across the state have expressed concern over the growing incidents of violence against doctors, saying the safety of healthcare workers must be ensured for the smooth functioning of hospitals.

Due to the strike, thousands of patients seeking routine treatment at government hospitals faced difficulties as OPD services remained closed. While emergency services continued in many facilities, doctors warned that the agitation could intensify if their demands were not met soon.

The standoff between the medical community and the police has now become a major law-and-order and public health issue in Haryana, with both sides under pressure to resolve the dispute quickly and restore normal healthcare services across the state.